This play-choosing guide is designed to help amateur theatrical companies in matching the casting, staging, costuming, and financial resources at their disposal with the corresponding requirements of about a hundred full-length plays. The plays have been divided into three categories: farces and comedies, drama, and thrillers and mysteries, and…

The twelve essays (each by a different author) in this volume cover drama in a liberal education, comment on the tragic hero, remarks on "Hamlet" and "Hedda Gabler," notes on music and drama, comment on didactic drama, an examination of "Andre," studies of the Haymarket Theatre, London productions of American plays,…

One cannot alter the instinctive respect for courage by steering the young onto literature describing peaceful events rather than violent ones. The adolescent's desire to explore his virtues by entering imaginatively into tragic or violent events is too deep to be eradicated. (Author/SJL)

Designed for young adults, this book on William Shakespeare's tragedies is one of an anthology series providing accessible resources for students researching great literary lives and works. Contributing writers' essays in the book are taken from a wide variety of sources and are edited to accommodate the reading and comprehension levels of young…

Struggles to cope with a wildly diverse group of adults in a course in tragedy are recounted. (JH)

The intent of this fastback is to give school personnel a strategy for dealing with tragedy affecting their students. approach to dealing with tragedy in a school situation. The approach includes getting accurate information, informing appropriate personnel, procuring counseling and educational materials, involving various parents, and dealing…

"Macbeth" is best understood by considering five specific elements: (1) the tragic view--a recognition of man's dignity as well as his vulnerability to evil; (2) the tragic plot--the reversals in the plans of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the scene of recognition of impending disaster, and Macbeth's continual suffering; (3) the tragic…

Tom Stoppard's play, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," focuses on the antics and tragedy of two minor characters in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Although satirical of their philosophical pretensions, the play conveys the uncertainty and confusion of its two principal characters and thus reflects modern man's dilemma. The…

A set of lessons to introduce "Julius Caesar" to secondary school students unfamiliar with Shakespeare is provided in this teaching guide. Only a critical fraction of the play is covered in the lessons. First, a synopsis of a modern high school situation whose conflicts parallel those in "Julius Caesar" is presented; then,…

One of a series of works aimed at presenting contemporary critical opinion on major authors, this collection includes essays by Alfred Harbage, H. B. Charlton, Willard Farnham, H. T. Price, Donald A. Stauffer, Brents Stirling, Maynard Mack, Helen Gardner, C. S. Lewis, Alvin Kernan, Bernard Spivack, L. C. Knights, Francis Fergusson, G. Wilson…

The teaching and understanding of Shakespeare are the subjects of these essays by (1) Louis B. Wright, who is concerned with the elements of Shakespearean plays which give them world-wide acceptance and timelessness, (2) Richard Hosley, who explores the use of stage curtains both today and when Shakespeare's plays were first produced, (3) G. L.…

This book, which is most suitable for high school or junior college teachers, is a guide to the teaching of twelve of Shakespeare's plays. For each play the authors include an opening essay about the general character of the play, its main theme, and the dramatic design expressing this theme. A detailed discussion of the dramatic action follows,…

A description of the syllabus of a course in ancient and modern tragedy given in English at the University of Illinois. An annotated list of the plays studied, suggested films, recordings and commentaries, and sources for audio-visual materials are included. (AMH)

Argues that most college students do not enjoy tragedy in literature because they cannot accept the constraints of a tragic world view. Examines the cultural, institutional, and literary trends responsible for students' bored, indifferent, and impatient attitudes toward the teachings of tragedy. (DMM)

Franco Zeffirelli's film "Romeo and Juliet" is appropriate for classroom study because of its relevance to today's youthful rebellion, to current social pressures, and to the generation gap. After viewing the film and seeing the images and moods of the performers, the students are better prepared to read the play imaginatively. (Numerous…