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

Lesson 9
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ELA

Unit 17

9th Grade

Lesson 9 of 20

Objective


Analyze how Shakespeare uses humor to convey his message in "My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun."

Readings and Materials


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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Complete a poetry one-pager for "My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun" that includes a SWIFT analysis, your annotated poem, and a symbolic illustration of the poem’s meaning.

Sample Response

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Key Thinking


Annotation Focus

What lines, words, and phrases reveal Shakespeare’s use of humor and the speaker’s perspective about his mistress?

Scaffolding Questions

Who is the speaker? How do we know?

Zoom in on the contrasts that Shakespeare uses to create an image of his mistress. What contrasts does he present to us throughout the three quatrains (ll. 1–12)? How do these contrasts physically characterize his mistress?

Zoom in on the couplet, or final two lines of the poem. What do you discover about the speaker? How does the couplet shift your understanding of the speaker and the relationship he has with his mistress?

Discourse Questions

To what extent does the speaker find his mistress romantically desirable? How might his perception of her desirability compare with others' perception of her desirability?

Homework


Review the Performance Task prompt and choose one of the groups of people from the provided list to research for your performance task. Complete one row of the research tracker. 

Source Title, Author & URL (if necessary) Summary: What did you learn about your cultural or historical movement from this source? Reflection: What does this source suggest about the significance of this movement with respect to societal standards of desirability? Perspective: What is the author’s perspective? Does he or she belong to the group of people seeking to be tamed? Does he or she have any biases? 
       

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Standards


  • LO 1.3B — Analyze how the writer's use of stylistic elements contributes to a work of literature's effects and meaning.
  • RL.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Supporting Standards

LO 1.3A
LO 2.3A
LO 2.3B
LO 2.3C
LO 5.1A
LO 5.1B
RL.9-10.1
RL.9-10.2
SL.9-10.1
W.9-10.2

Next

Examine the diction and syntax in Cordelia’s speech to determine how Shakespeare reveals Cordelia’s complex character.

Lesson 10
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