Shakespeare’s Sonnets

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Sonnet 1 From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty’s rose might never die, But, as the riper should by time decease, His tender heir might bear his memory. But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes, Feed’st thy light’s flame with self-substantial fuel, Making a famine where abundance lies, Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel. Thou that art now the world’s fresh ornament And only herald to the gaudy spring Within thine own bud buriest thy content And, tender churl, mak’st waste in niggarding.  Pity the world, or else this glutton be—  To eat the world’s due, by the grave and thee. Sonnet 2 When forty winters shall besiege thy brow And dig deep trenches in thy beauty’s field, Thy youth’s proud livery, so gazed on now, Will be a tattered weed of small worth held. Then being asked where all thy beauty lies, Where all the treasure of thy lusty days, To say within thine own deep-sunken eyes Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise. How much more praise deserved thy beauty’s use If thou couldst answer “This fair child of mine Shall sum my count and make my old excuse,” Proving his beauty by succession thine.  This were to be new made when thou art old  And see thy blood warm when thou feel’st it cold. Sonnet 3 Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest Now is the time that face should form another, Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest, Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother. For where is she so fair whose uneared womb Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry? Or who is he so fond will be the tomb Of his self-love, to stop posterity? Thou art thy mother’s glass, and she in thee Calls back the lovely April of her prime; So thou through windows of thine age shalt see, Despite of wrinkles, this thy golden time.  But if thou live remembered not to be,  Die single, and thine image dies with thee. You can learn more about Shakespeare’s poems … Read more

Who is Shakesphere–From Biography.com

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor of the Renaissance era. He was an important member of the King’s Men from roughly 1594 onward. Known throughout the world, Shakespeare’s works, at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems, captured the range of human emotion and conflict and have been celebrated for more than 400 … Read more

Tempestuous Midsummer Mayhem

This discussion forum provides a space for my Grade 7 and Grade 8 students to discuss their research findings and identify connections on the subject of Shakespeare. other students are, of course, welcome to join the discussion 🙂 What to discuss? Well, here are a few prompts to get you started: Share interesting facts about … Read more

Meet Shakespeare

This is the ‘Welcome to Shakespeare’ introduction for my Grade 6 English Language and Literature students, but anybody else is welcome to add to the discussion 🙂 There are three topics to research: About Shakespeare About Shakespeare’s time – What was England like in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean times? About Shakespeare’s work – his … Read more

Shakespeare shaking spears

Will Shakespeare was shaking a bunch of spears backstage. His friend Richard saw him and yelled, “Stop that! The show is about to start!” But Will wouldn’t stop. He was shaking the spears harder and harder. “They need to understand my name!” he shouted. Suddenly, the rope holding the spears together broke. The spears flew … Read more

Macbeth Performance: An ELL Journey

My first ever middle school performance in appreciation of Shakespeare’s writing took place on the 28th March 2024 and was a great success. However, getting to the point where English Language & Literature (ELL) students across three grades were able to successfully coordinate and perform different Shakespearean pieces was quite a journey. In this article … Read more