For today’s prompt, reflect on your experience of reading Richard III thus far, and share some thoughts regarding what you’ve seen of Shakespeare Behind Bars to this point. What challenges are presented by the text? How have the prisoners in the movie overcome them? How will you overcome them?
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So far in Shakespeare’s play Richard III the only major challenge has been the literature itself because of the dialect in which it is written in and in the context that words are utilized. As we seen in the documentary “Shakespeare Behind Bars” methods such as reiteration and establishing an emotional connection to characters, seems to help accquire a more adept meaning of the writing; as a result, the prisoners comprehend shakespeare’s work at more of an ease. So intern my strategy to help understand the literature of Shakespeare is honestly not to repeat segements over and over again but to actually try and create an emotional link between me and the characters, because quite frankly there’s something for everyone in shakespeare. For example, in the documentary a prisoner named Sammie who was victim and of rape and child abuse, and later convicted of murdering his wife found a connection to the play “The Temptest” because it was a story about forgiveness which is something that Sammie craves within his own livelihood. Overall, there are many techniques to solving a problem, the problem is finding one that suites the individual.
I agree completely with J.L. The dialect of the play is very hard to comprehend. I think one thing I find very effective while reading the play are the vocabulary columns. It’s always easier for me to read a hard play with a group because I as one person might catch a different perspective than another class mate. When we as a class come together to discuss, that’s when I can ask my question and also see how someone else understood the acts. This was the challenge the prisoners had. They have a Shakespeare Club that is dedicated to dissecting the play, “The Tempest” The Club members assign who plays which role. The miranda role, which happens to be the only female was given to the inmate whose name I cannot recall but he says, “The base the picking of roles by which inmate has the best connection to the character.” Not only does a connection to your text matters, but the instructor of this group make the inmates memorize and recite their monologue. This tool is helping them get a better grasp of what their characters are saying. You can’t create emotion for words you don’t understand. And when you reflect the plays words to modern day situation, as a reader you understand the play like a soap opera. Group work always helps.
My expierience regarding , Richard the III, have been overal , ok. I get a decent understand from the play whenever I read it. I personally enjoy reading plays rather than other literature material. As for the movie, I think it’s absolutely incredible, how the words of Shakespeare has the power to change the life’s of murderers and rapists lives. I think the only challenges in the text is realizing how emotional the characters actually are. But the inmates took those challenges head on and put more emotion , than probably the original characters in the actual place. Personally I would try to over come those challenges by reading the play out loud, to really capture the intensity of the characters and roles they play.
So far the biggest struggle with reading Richard III is understanding the Shakespearean language utilized. Unlike other pieces of literature one must analyze for long periods of time the context at hand because many motifs can be taken from the first act such as deception, family betrayal and greed. Though the prisoners in Shakespeare Behind Bars are performing a different play they still face the same obstacles like relating to the character through the diction used and fitting that character into a certain mold to portray them accurately. They overcame these obstacles by reviewing the scripts repeatedly in groups and using techniques such as reading out loud while doing other chores. I will overcome them by dedicating time at least one hour a day to reading without distractions and looking up words or phrases that I do not understand.
Thus far comprehending and truly understanding what and how Shakesphere means/says something has been the biggest challenge so far. I have yet to really feel the emotion in the book and it is not because of my lack in reading or trying. It is because the dialogue isn’t the 21st century English we use today. Likewise the documentary Shakesphere Behind Bars shares a similar dilemma. The prisoners in the prison are unable to put themselves into Shakespheres shoes and act out what might be the simplest parts of his text. Even though there are parts where some of the prisons are assigned roles that are similar to their personality and actions. They are unable to fulfill or connect with the characters because when reading Shakespheres words because his English isn’t like ours today. It is hard to act out and rehearse lines when you may not fully understand what you’re saying. This is also similar to the monologues we had to do in class because even though we could read what the lines were saying, without us acting out the emotion that was given it seemed as if we didn’t understand what we were saying or doing at all. The prisoners in the movie try to understand the life they have lived and what they have done to really understand what Shakesphere is trying to say. I might not be like the characters in the book or the prisons, but if I try to make an connect with an experience I have dealt with, I may be able to understand Shakesphere more.
While reading the play so far, a major challenge I face is trying to comprehend the structure of the writing displayed by Shakespeare. The Shakespearian text consists of many words that we do not use in the present time and also the writing is structured in a way far beyond our dialect. In the documentary, “Shakespeare Behind Bars” the prisoners face the same challenge of trying to understand the play. So far as we’ve seen the director tried to help the prisoners to better understand the play by making them get into character. The prisoners are assigned characters that share similar personalities. If the prisoners understand/connect with the character they are acting then they will further understand what the whole play is about. In addition, the prisoners comprehend the play better by putting in their emotions to the act out the character. I believe I can’t use the exact methods the prisoners displayed but I think I may be able to understand the play more if we were to shift gears and read in the Shakespearian tone. If we were to put our emotions into it and try to analyze the meaning of each phrase as we read, we might just be able to comprehend the structure of writing displayed by Shakespeare.
So far reading Richard III, the most challenging part obviously, is trying to understand the language. But, I believe that that’s what makes it a good book, it forces you to slow down and thoroughly read it. It also requires that you read other books and resources to understand it. If all great books were an easy read, they wouldn’t be great books. When watching Shakespeare behind bars, I can relate to the inmates who have to constantly read, reread, recite, and discuss the text. Similar challenges that we both face are understanding the language and then trying to read the play in the same tone that it was written. I will overcome them through reading, rereading, and discussing the text, also to use outside sources if I’m completely lost.
My challenge in reading Shakespeare is understanding the language in which Richard III is able to convince and deceive every character in the book. The setting is grasped well and I am able to comprehend the basis of the conversations or the motives for the deception; however, in action it is hard to completely catch on Richard’s play of words. For example in scene 1.3 when Richard turns the lords and Queen Elizabeth against Queen Margaret, I was confused because I don’t see why the lords and Queen Elizabeth didn’t believe Queen Margaret when there were facts and Richard had admitted to the killing of her son, Edward. My obstacle is similar to the prisoners in ‘Shakespeare Behind Bars’ because they also needed to understand the language and the way to be deceived or deceive someone else in order to act it out.
In reading Shakespeare’s Richard III I am faced with the challenge of trying to understand the dialect Shakespeare uses. Also, I have a hard time trying to place myself in the time period in which the play takes place. I can vaguely imagine what life was like under the rule of a tyrant in medieval England. Further, I can’t really relate to the characters, in this day and age society has a different kind of villain and thankfully I have never come to face to face with one. Today’s villains consist of backstabbers in the most trivial sense there won’t literally be a knife in your back but apparently in this play Richard III is the epitome of a backstabber. However, in the documentary Shakespeare behind Bars the convicts were reading the play Tempest, a play about forgiveness, and it seems that the felons seems to resonate with the themes and motifs of the play and expand their vocabulary in order to catch the meaning of the text. I don’t think that I will ever fully be able to relate to the characters, I might be able to understand motives and decisions the characters made. Also, to further understand the play I will have to expand my vocabulary in order to understand what it is that is going on in the play.
My challenge while reading Richard III is understanding the Shakespearean language.He uses words that we don’t see often in literature today. Because of this, it makes it almost impossible to understand the characters in the play and their motives. Although some motives may seem clear when written in plain text, it’s harder to comprehend when its written in Shakespearean text. In Shakespeare Behind Bars, the challenges that the prisoners face with the text is that it reminds them of their crime and it kind of hits home when they read the script and have to activate these emotions that they pushed to the back of their minds when they got arrested. The prisoners have to use these emotions to fulfill the characters emotions as well as possible. The prisoners have become content with these emotions and they don’t allow them to bring them back to that dark place that they were in before. They also have to understand what they’re reading the same way i have to understand the text in Richard III. Like the prisoners, I have to take my time with the text and read carefully.
Reading Richard the third was a bit challenging beause theres many times where one has to read between the lines whole also understanding whats actually on them. Seeing Shakespeare Behind Bars was great and I found it interesting how they understood the text and felt so passionate about it. A challenge that the text presents is describing what was going on at the time. The prisoners in the movie have overcome them by using the text to reflect on what they have done and also by interpreting it by using their past experiences. I will use my resources and examples as well for the purpose
of understanding the text better.
While reading Richard III, the hardest part is to understand the language and the dilect. Since the dilect is using a different language that I am not comfortable with, it is difficult to analyze the play. I am comfortable with today’s modern language. The prisoners in “Shakespeare Behind Bars” also have troubles understanding the dilect and true feelings of the characters in the play. On the other hand, the prisoners can connect to the characters in the play because they dealt with similar problems. While the prisoners are performing “Tempest,” they feel comfortable getting into the character because they want forgiveness for committing their specific crime which led them into prison.
The only challenge Shakespeare’s Richard the third presents is trying to decipher the meaning behind Shakespeare’s words. I have basic grasp of the context in which the language is written, but the meanings are blurred. In that same way, the prisoners in “Shakespeare Behind Bars” also have a difficult time trying to connect with the characters because they aren’t completely sure what message Shakespeare is trying to send. Fortunately, by the end of the movie, the prisoners do overcome their challenges by realizing that they had multiple connections with the characters they protray and also the meaning of the play itself, which is basically the characters begging for forgiveness. I think I can overcome my challenges by reading extra material that explain the meaning and hidden message in Rochard the third so I can comprehend the play better and also pay close attention in class when the play is brokendown.
The only and biggest problem that I have had while reading Shakespeare is trying to stop myself from getting lost in the reading. Sometimes when I’m reading I’ll stop and then realize that I have not understood the previous sentences. Sort of like I’m blank reading; I’m reading but there’s no substance.
The only and biggest problem that I have had while reading Shakespeare is trying to stop myself from getting lost in the reading. Sometimes when I’m reading I’ll stop and then realize that I have not understood the previous sentences. Sort of like I’m blank reading; I’m reading but there’s no substance. Watching Shakespeare Behind Bars, I think is fair to say that in some ways it is profound how Shakespeare resonates so much with these prisoners who have committed serious crimes. However, I don’t think that them being so intuned with these characters and it being so relatable to them will make them change or become better people, which I think is the reality of the whole thing. Their programs are suppose to help them become better people if they ever make it back out in the real world. My question is what can they do with this knowledge of Shakespeare and learning so much, how can that help them in the real world? The challenges presented in the text are fully understanding the character and the complexity of them. What makes the character make the decision they do and how does that effect others and themselves? The prisoners dealt with this by analyzing the characters by how they act and how they portrayed the actors through their performance.
My experience reading Shakespeare’s Richard III is good. Like others have stated, some of the language has been difficult to understand along with some meanings. I’ve done my best to try and break it down. I have an overall idea of what it’s about. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the documentary, but from what I’ve seen, many inmates have embraced Shakespeare and have used it as a way to deal with their personal problems. One thing an inmate stated was how Shakespeare’s writing from 400 years ago still connects to human’s way of acting. I completely agree, Shakespeare shows it in Act one. For inmates to want to read Shakespeare seems a little surprising to some. While most inmates in the documentary really enjoyed it, some disliked the criticism they received back from others. We even saw one male graduate from college, which shows how much he has turned his life around, and if Shakespeare has anything to do with that then Shakespeare should be read in more prisons. America’s prisons are overcrowding and the goal of the government is to have inmates not return, our system has to find new ways to reach inmates. Though his work may be difficult, I see this as an opportunity to breakthrough and really try to dissect, and understand Shakespeare’s work on a deeper level than I have before. I look forward to reading on; so far I find it interesting how correct Shakespeare is on people’s personalities and traits.
Richard III presents some challenges to readers when it comes to the vocabulary used, as Shakespeare does not write in modern English. The prisoners in “Shakespeare Behind Bars” struggle to overcome this difficulty as well as trying to put themselves into the mind of the characters they are playing. The prisoners work together and discuss the text in order to make it easier for everyone to understand. Additionally, they try to find connections between their lives and the characters in the play. I can try to understand Richard III better by reading slowly and trying to translate the text or gain a better understanding of it by connecting it to modern times. I can picture the Shakespearean characters as people from today’s world. Thus far into the play, I have learned that Richard kills his brother because of greed, as he wants to be next in line for the throne. I find myself a bit confused by the different characters in the play, and also the way their lines are worded.
Like most of Shakespeare’s works, Richard III has a vocabulary I cannot fully understand. And when he use the iambic pentameter format, it gets even harder to understand. The prisoners of “Shakespeare Behind Bars” are all trying to find forgiveness in themselves and many prisoners are casted as characters that matches their problems. The program also makes the prisoners reflect on themselves. I could start read it and reread it with some other people, similar to how Mr. Wooh taught.
The major challenge in Richard III is trying to understand the literature. Reading this book by yourself is very difficult but going over it with the class makes it easier and understandable. The characters in Shakespeare Behind Bars made it is easier for them to understand because they made a connection to some of these roles in the play. This was a way for them to be better people and to let out their emotions on stage. I guess they way i will overcome this is by trying to make a connection with myself with the play. Hopefully it will become interesting for me and easier to understand.