Rapping it up.

Identify a soliloquy- provide a copy of the soliloquy with plenty of white space around it.

Ask students to identify who is speaking, where that person is speaking within the play and also in terms of setting, who else is there, what is happening?  What is the main emotion?

Now ask them to read through identifying patterns of sound (iambic pentameter) to show where the emphasis might be.  Explain that sometimes Shakespeare varies tone and pace so it is also important to identify the key message of the speech and the crescendo of passion doubt etc.

If you can find a clip of the soliloquy on the Internet or on DVD play it to the students so that they can compare how they would have said it with how the actor plays it.

Now ask students to work in pairs to turn the soliloquy into a rap.  Explain that there is a tradition of turning Shakespeare into music ie: West Side Story.   Ask them to think about how they change the pace and the emphasis of the words but so that they keep the meaning and the emotion.


Depending on the ability of the group they should now be able to write an essay on the way Shakespeare uses language to convey meaning, mood and atmosphere.