Teachers' Outlines for Studies in English Part 10

What spirit of Puritanism is reflected in _Lycidas_?

GENERAL HISTORICAL QUESTIONS.--Answers to the following are valuable because of their bearing on Milton's life and work.

How did James I differ from Elizabeth in matters of religious toleration?

What controversy was carried on during James's reign within the established church?

Distinguish from one another the terms Separatist, Puritan, Prelatist.

How were the Puritans gradually forced to take extreme positions in matters of theology as well as in matters of government?

Compare the Puritan of Milton's boyhood with the Puritan of the Civil War.

OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF THE DESERTED VILLAGE[3]

I. Preparation

On account of the simplicity of this poem and the familiarity that many of the students already have with it, little preparation is necessary to introduce the cla.s.s to the first reading. Original compositions on country scenes and country life will help them to get into the spirit of the poem, and a few facts about Goldsmith's early home in the country, and his perplexed life in the city, will show the poet's point of view.

II. Reading and Study

A first reading should enable the student to understand the plan of the poem and to enjoy the descriptive pa.s.sages. A simple outline, if required at this point, will aid him in fixing the main divisions in mind and will be useful for detailed study when he comes to the second reading. This second reading should enable the student to understand the poet's thought in every particular. He should ponder over the thoughtful pa.s.sages, memorize the most beautiful ones, and examine the language and meter.

III. Study of the Poem as a Whole

CONTENT.--Contrast the village of Auburn when the author saw it in youth, with the Auburn of his later years, in regard to its appearance and the condition of the people.

Give character sketches of "The Preacher" and "The Schoolmaster."

Explain what the poet considers has caused the changes he laments in the village.

Contrast the simple natural pleasures with those of luxury and wealth.

What effect on the poor has greed for wealth? on the country? What is Goldsmith's idea of the lot of the emigrant?

FORM.--What is the prevailing meter? How do the lines rhyme? Compare this poem with _The Idylls of the King_ or with _The Merchant of Venice_ in respect to meter and rhyme.

Examine what you think are the most beautiful pa.s.sages in order to find out, if you can, why they are beautiful. Are they so because of beauty of sentiment? simplicity of language? choice of words? figurative language? smoothness of rhythm?

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.--What do we know of Goldsmith's childhood? his family? his education? his professional training? his travels? his friends in London? his loneliness? his disappointments? his literary successes? his eccentricities? his kindness?

How can we judge of his character from his references to the village of his childhood? from what he says of wealth, greed, etc.?

IV. THE TEACHING OF THE DRAMA

If a teacher were to attempt to investigate the methods employed in cla.s.ses formed to study Shakespeare, he would doubtless be impressed first by their variety. One teacher lays great stress on reading the play with little or no comment; another, with painful slowness, works line by line to bring out the details of the thought; while a third lays the greatest stress on the structure of the play, following minutely the steps from exposition to climax and from climax to conclusion. Each plan has its advantages, and in the hands of an enthusiastic and sensible teacher ought to achieve admirable results.

The fundamental reason for these wide differences in method is the greatness of Shakespeare's genius. We are captivated, perhaps, by one phase of his work and fail to see, or to see in due proportion, other phases equally, or even more, important. As a rule, the limitations of time make it impossible thoroughly to investigate many lines of study, and the teacher naturally follows his own taste in making selections.

Now the average high school student has limitations which we are bound to recognize. Accustomed as he is to reading fiction where description and explanation are frequently used to aid the imagination and the understanding, he fails to appreciate the situations in a drama and the motives for the actions. Again, there are considerable difficulties of language which must be overcome by persistent work. The over-editing of some of our text-books is often a real difficulty. A conscientious pupil often feels that his lesson is not quite learned unless he has carefully read all the notes. In one school edition of a play there are nearly twice as many pages of introduction and uncla.s.sified notes as of the text. Such an edition adds to the difficulties of the work by confusing essential and unessential matters.

It is evident that there is in the study of the drama unusual necessity for a plan, flexible enough for the varying needs of cla.s.ses, but definite enough to keep cla.s.ses from discouraging confusion of details.

Just what the plan shall be for any particular cla.s.s the teacher must decide from the condition and acquirements of the cla.s.s, the limitations of time, and the object in view.

Few will deny that _Julius Caesar_ can be read with profit in the first year. It will be read, however, at that time, chiefly for the interest of the plot, the dramatic situations, and the contrasts of character.

The study of meter will be slight, and of language and grammar only enough for an understanding of the thought; while the study of structure, textual changes, development of Shakespeare's art, date of publication, etc., will be left out entirely. On the other hand, the needs of a fourth year cla.s.s would require a considerably different treatment of this same play. It may seem trite to say that the wisest plan is that which keeps the pupil interested in reading and re-reading the text. The more he reads the more he understands, and the more he understands the more he delights to read. This lies at the bottom of all the plans for Shakespeare reading.

Almost any student will read through a play with interest and enthusiasm, if he understands enough to keep the thread of the story. If much textual study is required with the first reading, the interest is weakened; but if the delight of a first reading leads to a second, a study of the text brings new delight, especially if the study is directed to the interpretation of the thought.

After the second reading, the study of the play as a whole, of the development of characters, of the structure and style, and of the various problems of human interest, should send the pupil to the play again and again to find evidence to support his opinions. This study, together with memory work, will help to give that familiarity with the play which is one of the tests of satisfactory Shakespeare study.

The following is suggested merely as one plan suitable for high school cla.s.ses:

I. Preparation

The presentation of a few matters to arouse interest and to antic.i.p.ate some of the difficulties of a first reading.

II. First Reading

The aim of the first reading is to familiarize the pupil with the main facts of the play. General questions may be asked to guide the student, or directions given to note the progress of each scene in the development of the play. He should not be hindered, however, from as rapid a reading as he can make intelligently.

III. Second Reading

This careful reading will have for its purpose the interpretation of the author's thought. Other matters, however interesting to a Shakespearean scholar, should, for the most part, be avoided. In this thorough study many of the matters treated under the next topic will naturally come up for discussion.

IV. Study of the Play as a Whole

Here it will be possible to sum up the work already done and to correlate it with new work in some such order as the following:

A. _Content_ 1. Setting 2. Plot 3. Characters

B. _Form_ 1. Meter 2. Style

C. _The Life and Character of the Author_

OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF THE MERCHANT OF VENICE