Tues., Nov. 13
In class: See Act V of Henry IV, Pt. 1 (The Hollow Crown). Discuss the ending.
P.M. Read the first part (pp. 271-278) of Bloom's essay on Hen. IV, pt.. 1. For access to Bloom's essay, please jump to ClassJump -- that is, to Mr. Bratnober's class page for our course. The only thing you will find there is Harold Bloom's essay. (Sorry about the rough scanning job!)
Questions to keep in mind as you read Bloom: (1) Do you agree with Bloom's assessments of Falstaff and Hamlet? (2) Do you think Simon Russell Beale -- the actor who plays Falstaff in The Hollow Crown -- consulted Bloom before he took on the role? (3) If you were to direct a production of Henry IV, Part I, what spin would you try to put on the relationship between Hal and Falstaff? Would yours be like Bloom's? Like the one in the film? Who would you cast as Hal and Falstaff if you had access to an ideal, world-class casting pool?
Wed., Nov. 14
In class: Discuss Bloom's views in relation to the text of the play.
P.M. Read the second part of Bloom's essay (pp. 278-286). Also, please use the criteria for intelligence (ClassJump) to annotate words, phrases, or sentences in your chosen monologue. We are trying to prove or disprove Bloom's assertion that Falstaff is a highly intelligent character.
