For this option you have the opportunity to reimagine one of the plays for our course through a creative assignment. Your 5-7 page assignment should follow these guidelines:
1) Provide a page-long “Artist’s Statement” that indicates the guiding vision of your approach to the material you took in step two. How did you choose to approach this creative adaptation in the way you did? What was your inspiration? What do you think are the key interpretive elements of your adaptation or creative work (i.e., what insights did you gain about Shakespeare, how does your interpretation alter the original text?). Finally, describe, in brief, your writing process. How did you arrive at your topic? Did you look to any outside sources for inspiration? What did you do to flesh out your ideas?
2) Creative Response. There are, of course, many ways you can reimagine, adapt, and reinterpret the works of Shakespeare. Here are some suggestions, but please feel free to combine, adapt, and find your own artistic engagement with the material:
- Write a series of dramatic monologues through the perspective of a major or minor character.
- Compose a poem about a character in one of the texts. You could directly address the character or create her unique voice expressing thoughts not revealed in the original text.
- Rewrite a section of a play or do a sequel that projects the futures of characters in the books.
- Write several entries in a diary, journal, or blog by one of the characters in the play.
- Imagine and summarize the backstory or prequel to a play.
- Conduct an imaginary interview of one of our characters.
- Tell the plot of a new story or play in which characters from different texts interact with one another.
- Write a short newspaper or feature article reporting on an event within a book.
- Rewrite a scene from one of our plays as a novel, using the techniques of that form (narrator, dialogue, chapters, etc.). You might even choose to write one of Shakespeare’s plays as a parody of a popular author. Pynchon writing King Lear, anyone?
- Relocate a scene from a play into an entirely different setting.
Assignment adapted from Amy Cummins.
Rubric:
| Requirement | Assignment Demonstrates Mastery If… |
| Artist’s Statement | -Artist’s statement presents a clear and compelling discussion of the thought behind the project. Writer clearly demonstrates the inspiration for the project and provides a statement of vision for the piece.
-Artist’s statement provides some commentary on the original work of Shakespeare that inspired the adaptation, showing that the creative piece derives significantly from the artistic patterns of his plays. |
| Creative Response | -First and foremost, the creative response demonstrates true creativity—the work is genuinely imaginative, innovative, even experimental or unusual.
-Although the project can explore many different creative expressions, it should be clear that Shakespeare is the inspiration for the creative response, in plot, character, structure, or language. |
| Grammar, Spell-Checking, and Proof-Reading | -Though not necessarily perfect, piece is written with correct grammar and usage, is properly punctuated, and is carefully proofread and spell-checked….unless writing in non-standard English is part of your artistic vision. If so, this should be explained in the Artist’s Statement. |
| Formatting and Presentation | ❑ 5-7 pages, typed and double-spaced
❑ 12 pt. Font, Times New Roman ❑ 1 inch margins on top, bottom, left, and right ❑ Pages Stapled or clipped together |
