Comedy, Taming, and Desirability in The Taming of the Shrew

Lesson 6
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ELA

Unit 17

9th Grade

Lesson 6 of 20

Objective


Analyze how Brady uses humor to develop her argument in "I Want a Wife."

Readings and Materials


  • Essay: “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Brady use humor to develop her argument in "I Want a Wife?" 

Sample Response

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Key Thinking


Annotation Focus

What lines, words, and phrases reveal Brady’s use of humor and argument?

Scaffolding Questions

Who is the speaker? How do you know? How does the author’s description of herself in the introduction set the tone for the whole essay?

Zoom in on Brady’s use of repetition. What does she repeat throughout her essay? What effect does this repetition have on the overall meaning of her essay?

What gender inequities does Brady highlight in her essay? What rhetorical techniques does Brady use to highlight these inequities? In your response, identify at least one technique and provide an example of the technique from the text to clarify your ideas.

Discourse Questions

How does Brady use humor to develop her argument in "I Want a Wife?"

According to Brady, what makes a wife "desirable"?

How does Brady’s argument connect to the idea of desirability?

Homework


Read and annotate pages xix-xxvi in Taming of the Shrew through the lens of the following annotation focus. 

  • Annotation focus
    • What did you learn about Shakespeare’s words? 
    • What did you learn about Shakespeare’s sentences? 
    • What did you learn about Shakespeare’s wordplay?

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Standards


  • LO 1.2B — Explain how the rhetorical features of an argument contribute to its effect and meaning.
  • RI.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).

Supporting Standards

LO 1.2A
LO 2.3A
LO 2.3B
LO 2.3C
LO 5.1A
LO 5.1B
RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
SL.9-10.1
W.9-10.2

Next

Formulate and share unique arguments home and homecoming. 

Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a Socratic seminar.

Lesson 7
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