Teaching Shakespeare and His Sisters: An Embodied Approach

We teach Shakespeare as literary texts and cues for theatrical performance, and an embodied pedagogical approach can inform literary analysis. This Element explores how an embodied approach can be applied to Shakespeare plays in a playhouse context, the play-making, performance, and story-telling of early modern women, and how it can be possible digitally.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Shakespeare classroom has evolved into a rehearsal space, where we teach Shakespeare plays as literary texts and as cues for theatrical performances. This Element explores the potential of an embodied pedagogical approach as a tool to enhance literary analysis.

The embodied approach emphasizes the physical and sensory aspects of learning, aiming to engage students' bodies and minds
and minds in the learning process. It recognizes that our experiences and emotions can shape our understanding of literature and that by incorporating physical movement, voice, and imagination, we can deepen our engagement with the text.

In the context of Shakespeare plays, an embodied pedagogical approach can be particularly effective. By physically embodying the characters and their emotions, students can gain a deeper understanding of the text and its themes. For example, by performing a scene from a Shakespeare play, students can experience the tension, conflict, and emotions of the characters firsthand, allowing them to interpret the text more critically and deeply.

Similarly, an embodied pedagogical approach can be used to explore the gender roles and stereotypes of Shakespeare's plays. By performing scenes with gender-bending roles or by exploring the physicality of women's bodies in the plays, students can challenge traditional gender norms and explore the complexities of gender identity.

Furthermore, an embodied pedagogy can be applied digitally in the context of online teaching. Online teaching can be isolating and impersonal, and it can be challenging for students to engage with the text and its themes. By incorporating physical movement, voice, and imagination into online teaching, teachers can create a more engaging and interactive learning experience for their students. For example, teachers can use video recordings of themselves performing Shakespearean scenes or use virtual reality technology to create immersive learning experiences that allow students to explore the physical world of the plays.

In conclusion, an embodied pedagogical approach can be a powerful tool for teaching Shakespeare. By engaging students' bodies and minds in the learning process, teachers can help students gain a deeper understanding of the text and its themes. Whether in a playhouse context or digitally, an embodied pedagogy can help students challenge traditional gender norms, explore the complexities of gender identity, and deepen their engagement with the text.

Weight: 118g
Dimension: 126 x 179 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108972161