Expert: John T. Aney - 11/15/2007

Question
Dear Mr. Aney,
  I'm reading Macbeth in my English class later this year. Here is my problem: When we are reading Macbeth, I will be performing it as Lady Macbeth. This may sound odd, but I'm scared that the children in my English class will ruin the play for me. They will undoubtedly not take it seriously and make fun of it or complain about the iambic pentameter. I often become my character or at least develop a very deep emotional connection to the character, I am afraid that I will bite people's heads off if they insult the play. I understand that many people don't grasp Shakespeare as well as I do (I have been reading Shakespeare since I went to a Shakespeare festival in sixth grade and discovered the joy of King Lear on stage), however I have little patience for people who have asked “Isn't that the dude who wrote She's The Man?” I  realize that pop culture is taking over the world, but a four hundred year old playwright did not write a modern day movie. Is there any way I could find a manner in which to separate myself from my character? It seems especially difficult with Shakespeare (when I played Puck last spring it got to the point where one of my teachers sent me to the counselor because she thought I was going through a mental breakdown because I was speaking and acting Puckishly). I've been told to create a barrier, but I can't seem to do it. Any advice would help tremendously.
Sincerely,
Dana

Answer
Dana,

You may not like my advice to you, but I'm going to give it anyway...

Are you reading the play or performing it?  Those are two different things - two different pedagogical tools, as it were.  If the students are reading it, and you alone are performing it, then there is a disconnect between what the students are experiencing and what you are experiencing, and this disconnect is probably what is causing problems for you.

You should probably try to get your students to approach Shakespeare in a way they can understand.  If they recall Shakespeare as someone who inspired the movie "She's the Man," well, there is your teaching hook.  Use it.  Maybe spend some time talking with them about some of the films that have come out recently that are based on Shakespeare's plays - there are quite a few, many of which were very popular with teenagers.  This will mean you may have to be less reverential with Shakespeare.  After 400 years, his plays can withstand a bit of non-reverence.

I don't think it's a question of creating a barrier - it's a question of not allowing yourself to get too wrapped up in what's going on that you lose sight of your goal.  Your goal is to teach Shakespeare to students.  Your goal is to get them to understand the greatness of his plays.  Your goal is to get them to understand what is happening in Macbeth, and what a great play it is.  Approach it from THEIR point of view, not yours.

Good luck!

jta