Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What do we know about Shakespeare and his works? Why have his plays endured in theater and in academia?

Teaching Suggestion: Students can discuss other Shakespearean works they have studied or seen performed or depicted in film. Brainstorm why these plays have endured, despite having been written over 400 years ago. Discussion might start in small groups before moving to whole class sharing to allow less confident students to share in a less intimidating context.

• “The Uneducated Author Who Made Literary History” - A 5-minute biographical video about Shakespeare’s life and contributions 
• “Why Do We Still Care About Shakespeare?” - An article discussing the enduring nature of Shakespeare’s plays

Short Activity

Understanding the comedic genre will allow you to categorize and better appreciate the comedic strategies Shakespeare employs to entertain his audience. Work with a group to choose and analyze a scene or work of comedy to determine what makes it funny and to analyze its appeal.

Teaching Suggestion: Students should brainstorm in small groups and share with the class their favorite comedies (books, television shows, or movies).