Homework for Friday, Dec. 2

Finish Act 1, scene 3, and read and annotate Act 2 (beginning with scene 2) of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. In a well-developed paragraph, complete one of the writing responses described below. (These prompts are adapted from the Cambridge School Shakespeare edition of King Henry IV, Part 1, Rex Gibson, editor, published by Cambridge University Press in 1998.)

1. A major aim of scene 2 is to make the audience laugh as much as possible. But, is Falstaff serious in parts of this scene? Write a rhetorical analysis of Falstaff's language that explains whether he is jesting throughout the scene, or if he turns serious.
2. Do Hotspur and Lady Percy really love each other? Write a rhetorical analysis of Hotspur and Lady Percy's conversations in scene 3, and explain why they speak to each other as they do. You may consider the context of the conversation as well as each character's purpose and persona.
3. In scene 4, Hal and Falstaff take roles as Henry IV and Hal in preparation of Hal's impending visit with his father. With an emphasis on their language, how do Falstaff and Hal convey the king's seriousness?

Extra: In scene 4, when Falstaff acts as both Henry IV and Hal, he expresses a concern that all of Hal's buddies should be banished except himself. Why is he so concerned about banishment, and why at this moment in the play?

Homework for Thursday, Nov. 17

Read and annotate the "Introduction" to your edition of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. You may also find it helpful to read the "About the Text" section, but you are not required to do so. There is no writing component for this assignment.

Homework for Tuesday,. Nov. 15 (Day 1)

Play with words this weekend and write a piece about anything. Don't worry about form or genre; feel free to experiment. This piece of writing will not receive a grade. Feel free to draw on anything you know, are interested in, are ignorant about. This piece may be of any length, and in any form. I only ask that it be typed and printed out.

Homework for Thursday, Nov. 10

Read Eula Biss's essay "No Man's Land," which was handed out in Tuesday's class. Type and print your responses to the following questions:

1. What has Biss come to say in this essay?
2. According to Biss, what does it mean to be a pioneer? Don't look for one sentence to answer this question; think of the essay as a whole.
3. Biss writes, "Even now, at a much more wary and guarded age, what I feel when I am told my neighborhood is dangerous is not fear but anger at the extent to which so many of us have agreed to live within a delusion—namely, that we will be spared the dangers others suffer only if we move within certain very restricted spheres, and that insularity is a fair price to pay for safety" (p. 154). A. Are you persuaded by Biss's expression of anger in this sentence? If so, explain how she has earned the reader's trust to express her anger. If not, explain why you are not persuaded by her expression of anger. B. Whether or not you are persuaded by her anger, what do you think of the point she's trying to make?