Morgan Taylor Graphic Novel Strategy 2013 February 19th

For this activity I will have each student select their favorite scene from a Shakespeare play we are discussing (for instance Henry IV Pt. 1) and have them turn it into a graphic novel. I chose this activity because I believe it will engage and motivate the students since it is a fun and allows them to think critically about the assignment. Their first task is to select their scene of choice. Then they must decide how they want to begin the artistic process. Questions they may consider are, should I to draw out my graphic novels or use a computer database for it? Should I use actual photos or print out photos from the internet?" After they take these questions into consideration, students will have to analyze the dialogue and turn it into modern day English while asking which parts they think are not relevant and which parts will they omit. Having to dissect and analyze the text and turning it into a modern day graphic novel thought bubble, will help students to understand the writing styles of the 16th and 17th centuries. Also, students will realize the importance of setting and scene directions by incorporating them via visual representations or an added panel in their graphic novel. Students would be placed in pairs so they can discuss their ideas on how the set-up process should work and how they can interpret Shakespeares dialogue. I did an example on Act 1 Scene 2 of Henry IV Pt.1 to bring in and show my students, and I plan on displaying it as a model for the students so they may get a better understanding of the assignment. I think that this activity encourages students creativity while also learning about 16th century literature. My goal is to have students not be afraid of old literature, but rather leave

with confidence that if they take the time to analyze a text it can be easily transformed into comprehendible material. This same activity can be modified to relate to other content. For example, around election time students and take an important presidential address and draw out a graphic novel to visually represent what he was saying. The same can be done with a famous battle. As for science, you can take an event such as The Big Bang and create a graphic novel to represent how it happened and the different reactions that took place to make it happen. Some of the sites I found that would be helpful for this were: http://www.bitstrips.com/create/comic/ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/

Here is my online example of my use of "bitstrips" to do the beginning of Henry IV Part 1: Act 1, Scene 2.

http://bitstrips.com/r/GLFQ1

HENRY IV PART 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Original Text

Enter HENRY, PRINCE of Wales, and Sir JohnFALSTAFF FALSTAFF Now, Hal, what time of day is it, lad? PRINCE HENRY Thou art so fat-witted, with drinking of old sack, and unbuttoning thee after supper, and sleeping upon benches after noon, that thou hast forgotten to demand that truly which thou wouldst truly know. What a devil hast thou to do with the time of the day? Unless hours were cups of sack, and minutes capons, and clocks the tongues of bawds, and dials the signs of leaping-houses, and the blessed sun himself a fair hot wench in flame-colored taffeta, I see no reason why thou shouldst be so superfluous to demand the time of the day. FALSTAFF Indeed, you come near me now, Hal, for we that take purses go by the moon and the seven stars, and not by Phoebus, he,that wand'ring knight so fair. And I prithee, sweet wag, when thou art king, as God save thy GraceMajesty, I should say, for grace thou wilt have none PRINCE HENRY What, none? FALSTAFF No, by my troth, not so much as will serve to be prologue to an egg and butter. 20 PRINCE HENRY Well, how then? Come, roundly, roundly. FALSTAFF Marry, then, sweet wag, when thou art king, let not us that are squires of the nights body be called thieves of the days beauty. Let us be Dianas foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the moon, and let men say we be men of good government, being governed, as the sea is, by our noble and chaste mistress the moon, under whose countenance we steal.

Modern Text
HENRY, PRINCE of Wales and Sir JohnFALSTAFF enter. FALSTAFF Hal, what time is it, my boy? PRINCE HENRY You are so wasted from drinking booze and loosening your pants after lunch and sleeping on benches all afternoon that you dont even remember how to ask for what you really want to know. What the hell does it matter to you what time it is? Unless hours were glasses of wine, minutes were chickens, clocks were whores' tongues, sundials were whorehouse signs and the sun itself were a hot woman in a flame-colored dress, I dont see any reason why you would need to know the time. FALSTAFF Now youre talking, Hal. Thieves like us operate at night, by the moon and stars, and not by the sun. I hope, pretty boy, that when you become king, God save your Grace or maybe I should just call you Your Majesty, since you dont have any grace PRINCE HENRY None? FALSTAFF No, I swear. Not even enough to say grace before a snack. PRINCE HENRY Come on, out with it. Get to the point. FALSTAFF Okay then, pretty boy. Whey you become king, dont let those of us who work at night be blamed for wasting daylight by sleeping through it. Give us fancy names: Servants of the Moon Goddess Diana; Gentlemen of Shadows; Lunar Laborers. Make people admire us for being well behaved. After all, were governed by the same force that governs the tidesthe pale and cool moon, who lights our way as we sneak around. PRINCE HENRY Well said. And youre rightour luck ebbs and flows like the tide, because, like the sea, were governed by the moon. Ill prove it. Imagine a bag of gold, brilliantly swiped on a Monday night and extravagantly spent on a Tuesday morning. You snatch it, shouting, Hand it off! and spend it, calling, Bring it on! Its like the gallows: one minute youre at the bottom of the ladderlow tide. The next, youre swinging from the tophigh tide! FALSTAFF By God thats right, my boy! And by the way, isnt the hostess of the tavern a delicious woman? PRINCE HENRY

PRINCE HENRY Thou sayest well, and it holds well too, for the fortune of us that are the moons men doth ebb and flow like the sea, being governed, as the sea is, by the moon. As for proof now: a purse of gold most resolutely snatched on Monday night and most dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning, got with swearing Lay by and spent with crying Bring in; now in as low an ebb as the foot of the ladder, and by and by in as high a flow as the ridge of the gallows. 35 FALSTAFF By the Lord, thou sayest true, lad. And is not my hostess of the tavern a most sweet wench? PRINCE HENRY

As the honey of Hybla, my old lad of the castle. And is not a buff jerkin a most sweet robe of durance? FALSTAFF How now, how now, mad wag? What, in thy quips and thy quiddities? What a plague have I to do with a buff jerkin? PRINCE HENRY Why, what a pox have I to do with my hostess of the tavern? FALSTAFF Well, thou hast called her to a reckoning many a time and oft. PRINCE HENRY Did I ever call for thee to pay thy part? FALSTAFF No, Ill give thee thy due. Thou hast paid all there. PRINCE HENRY Yea, and elsewhere, so far as my coin would stretch, and where it would not, I have used my credit.

Sweet as honey from Hybla, you dirty old man. And isnt a sheriffs uniform a pretty durable outfit? FALSTAFF Whats that supposed to mean, you crazy man? Youre in the mood for jokes? Why are you talking to me about a sheriffs uniform? PRINCE HENRY Well, why the hell are you asking me about the hostess of the tavern? FALSTAFF Youve asked her for the bill enough times. PRINCE HENRY Did I ever ask you to pay for any of it? FALSTAFF No. Ive got to admit, youve settled with her all by yourself. PRINCE HENRY And not just with her, but wherever my cash was good. And when I ran out, I switched to credit.

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