Research Proposal on "Will in the World How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt"
Research Proposal 4 pages (1227 words) Sources: 1 Style: APA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Stephen Greenblatt's Will in the WorldStephen Greenblatt is not stranger to the life and times of William Shakespeare. He has written many historical books about Shakespeare and is University Professor of Humanities at Harvard. His knowledge of Shakespeare comes across in a fluid and engaging style, open to all readers. His non-fiction book, Will in the World provides an insightful look into the life of the famous playwright with an astonishingly fresh perspective. With chapters as "The Dream of Restoration," "Crossing the Bridge," and "Speaking with the Dead," Greenblatt explores Shakespeare's life with attention to details that set his book apart from others. Greenblatt also provides insight to Shakespeare's writing. The book offers insight into the historical and literary aspects of what have now known to become the greatest writer of all time. These aspects are balanced out quite well, for the book does not read like a historical book or bibliography at all. We are taken into the world of Shakespeare immediately and there is little room for boredom as Greenblatt successfully avoids the pitfalls of regurgitating history.
Will in the World grabs attention from the start with an intriguing jacket that invites curiosity about the "acutely sensitive and talented boy" we come to know as Shakespeare. Greenblatt writes that Shakespeare was a "master of double consciousness . . . recycled every word he ever encountered, every person he ever met, every experience he ever had" (Greenblatt 155). From this perception, we read about a playwright determined to use the gifts endowed unto him in the best way he saw fit. Greenblatt reveals a man living in a tumultuous time. From the earli
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Greenblatt also brings attention to the fact that as a playwright, Shakespeare was not rich by any means. After fame afforded Shakespeare a certain amount of status in the community, Greenblatt offers to us the story of how Shakespeare and his company cleverly took into their own hands a way to resolve their money problems. One a "snowy night of December 28, 1598, in a season cold enough to make the Thames freeze over" (291), Shakespeare and his men (along with a few paid thugs), proceeded to dismantle Burbage's theater, carted the timber across town and in a matter of month, "fashioned a splendid new theater" (292). All of this dismantling was done by the light of lanterns. The finished playhouse was, in Greenblatt's estimation, an "astonishing figure for a city London's size" (292). Here we see the genius of a man and his friends working together to reach a solution to the nagging problem of paying rent for a playhouse. With a new playhouse and new terms, Shakespeare was part owner in the theater, setting himself up to profit in more than one way. He was a playwright, an actor, and part owner and he was still a frugal man, according to Greenblatt. He lived frugally, never living extravagantly.… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Will in the World How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt" Assignment:
Graduate Students, Shakespeare 2009
Please note the following additional requirements and amendments to the undergraduate syllabus:
*****¢ You will be reading Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt.
*****¢ Book Review: You will write a book review of Greenblatt*****s book. Attached is information for writing a book review.
*****¢ Rather than preparing a presentation on the theatrical history of a play as the undergraduates are, you will be presenting a chapter of Greenblatt*****s book to the class. You will, essentially, be teaching the students the content of that chapter. See attached for instructions.
*****¢ Also, note that your Research Paper should be approximately 18-20 pages in length. I highly recommend you discuss your topic and thesis before you write, and I am happy to review a draft of your paper at any point in the process.
*****¢ You will also need to develop an annotated bibliography to accompany your Research Paper. (If you are unfamiliar with annotated bibliographies, check out this website. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/)
Each annotation need not be lengthy; just 1-2 sentences that encapsulate the work)
Book Review Assignment
You will be writing a book review of the book Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt. The review should be between 750-1000 words, and should be completed by the end of the semester (no later than the first week of December, 2009).
In case you are unfamiliar with the Book Review format, I have included information from the Owl at Purdue website (owl.english.purdue.edu/owl), a very helpful website on all matters of academic writing. The information below is is excerpted from that site.
Writing a Book Review
Book reviews typically evaluate recently-written works. They offer a brief description of the text*****s key points and often provide a short appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.
Readers sometimes confuse book reviews with book reports, but the two are not identical. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words. If you are looking to write a book report, please see the OWL resource, Writing a Book Report.
By contrast, book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. They typically range from 500-750 words, but may be longer or shorter. A book review gives readers a sneak peak at what a book is like, whether or not the reviewer enjoyed it, and details on purchasing the book.
Before You Read
Before you begin to read, consider the elements you will need to included in your review. The following items may help:
*****¢ Author: Who is the author? What else has s/he written? Has this author won any awards? What is the author*****s typical style?
*****¢ Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, romance, poetry, youth fiction, etc.? Who is the intended audience for this work? What is the purpose of the work?
*****¢ Title: Where does the title fit in? How is it applied in the work? Does it adequately encapsulate the message of the text? Is it interesting? Uninteresting?
*****¢ Preface/Introduction/Table of Contents: Does the author provide any revealing information about the text in the preface/introduction? Does a *****guest author***** provide the introduction? What judgments or preconceptions do the author and/or *****guest author***** provide? How is the book arranged: sections, chapters?
*****¢ Book Jacket/Cover/Printing: Book jackets are like mini-reviews. Does the book jacket provide any interesting details or spark your interest in some way? Are there pictures, maps, or graphs? Do the binding, page cut, or typescript contribute or take away from the work?
As You Read
As you read, determine how you will structure the summary portion or background structure of your review. Be ready to take notes on the book*****s key points, characters, and/or themes.
*****¢ Characters: Are there characters in the work? Who are the principle characters? How do they affect the story? Do you empathize with them?
*****¢ Themes/Motifs/Style: What themes or motifs stand out? How do they contribute to the work? Are they effective or not? How would you describe this author*****s particular style? Is it accessible to all readers or just some?
*****¢ Argument: How is the work*****s argument set up? What support does the author give for her/findings? Does the work fulfill its purpose/support its argument?
*****¢ Key Ideas: What is main idea of the work? What makes it good, different, or groundbreaking?
*****¢ Quotes: What quotes stand out? How can you demonstrate the author*****s talent or the feel of the book through a quote?
When You Are Ready to Write
Begin with a short summary or background of the work, but do not give too much away. Many reviews limit themselves only to the first couple of chapters or lead the reader up to the rising action of the work. Reviewers of nonfiction texts will provide the basic idea of the book*****s argument without too much detailed.
The final portion of your review will detail your opinion of the work. When you are ready to begin your review, consider the following:
*****¢ Establish a Background, Remember your Audience: Remember that your audience has not read the work; with this in mind, be sure to introduce characters and principles carefully and deliberately. What kind of summary can you provide of the main points or main characters that will help your readers gauge their interest? Does the author*****s text adequately reach the intended audience? Will some readers be lost or find the text too easy?
*****¢ Minor principles/characters: Deal only with the most pressing issues in the book. You will not be able to cover every character or idea. What principles/characters did you agree or disagree with? What other things might the author have researched or considered?
*****¢ Organize: The purpose of the review is to critically evaluate the text, not just inform the readers about it. Leave plenty room for your evaluation by ensuring that your summary is brief. Determine what kind of balance to strike between your summary information and your evaluation. If you are writing your review for a class, ask your instructor. Often the ratio is half and half.
*****¢ Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss about the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you on an emotional or logical way?
*****¢ Publisher/Price: Most book reviews include the publisher and price of the book at the end of the article. Some reviews also include the year published and ISBN.
Revising
When making the final touches to your review, carefully verify the following:
*****¢ Double-check the spelling of the author name(s), character names, special terms, and publisher.
*****¢ Try to read from the vantage point of your audience. Is there too much/enough summary? Does your argument about the text make sense?
*****¢ Should you include direct quotes from the reading? Do they help support your arguments? Double-check your quotes for accuracy.
How to Reference "Will in the World How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt" Research Proposal in a Bibliography
“Will in the World How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2009, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/stephen-greenblatt/401405. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
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