The first read through
Learning Objective
To have a practical read through,involving gathering an understanding of what the play is about and the relationships our character has in the play.
Was the read through useful?
Personally i feel that the read through was very beneficial as i got to go through the story line and hear other peoples ideas of what's going on in the play.When reading the play by myself i didn't understand it and when i looked online for the overall plot there were just pages of work which left me at an disinterest. Doing the read through i gathered a concept of what the play is about and what character is who and i got to understand if what my character was saying is meant to comical or serious.
What were the benefits?
The benefits were firstly making us stand and read as i was able to keep focus not drift into a daydream which sadly is what happens when i do a read through.
Secondly I was able to gather an understanding of my character ,bardolphs involvement in the play and the relationships he has with the other characters.
Thirdly reading through the play i learnt what the Shakespearean words meant as i find it hard to understand and get a concept of the language.
The fuorth benefit was while reading through everything was broken down so i could understand each scene and why certain words were said.
My struggle during the read through.
I struggled with pronouncing,articulating and stuttering over my words.I know i can do it but i need to concentrate and read carefully and slowly. I'm sure when i learn my lines i will improve vastly.
What i gathered from the lesson?
Firstly i gathered what each scene was about.
Secondly i understand what sort of person my character is and who he has a relationship with in the play and who i'm talking to when saying my lines.
Goals
.start learning my lines as i know how long it takes me to learn them.
.Research words i don't understand the meaning of.
Character research
I think whilst also study your character in class,it's also very important to do your own research for your own understanding.Below is research for my character from not only King Henry V but King Henry IV part one and part 2 as it's important to timeline where your character began so you know why your character may act a certain way. For example something may of happened to my character in King Henry part 1 and that might be a reason my character acts a certain way(differently) in King Henry V.
Below is research i found about my chracter
.Bardolph in 4 plays by William Shakespere
.Throughout Henry IV, part1 and Henry IV, Part 2, Bardolph is a drunkard pal of Henry who encourages him to commit petty crimes, resulting in the doubt and disapproval Henry's father shows toward Henry as heir to the throne.
.Bardolph's facial features, permanently flushed from alcohol and covered in pustules are a constant target of ribald remarks, often symbolically linked to imagery of heat and hellfire. In Henry IV, Part I, Falstaff says "I never see thy face but I think upon hell-fire and Dives that lived in purple; for there he is in his robes, burning, burning."[2] In Part 2 Hal satirically says that Bardolph's "zeal burns in his nose", to which Falstaff replies "The fiend hath pricked down Bardolph irrecoverable; and his face is Lucifer's privy-kitchen, where he doth nothing but roast malt-worms .
My response to my research
In Henry V my character is still insulated about his appearance;especially his nose.This is shown when the boy says he saw a flea stick upon bardolphs nose and said it was a black soul burning i hell fire.
Knowing that Bardolph and Henry were childhood friends i now have a different perspective of Bardlophs hanging which henry agreed to.By Henry agreeing to Bardlophs execution its shows he maturing and taking on more responsibility as a king.
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Below is research i found about my chracter
.Bardolph in 4 plays by William Shakespere
.Throughout Henry IV, part1 and Henry IV, Part 2, Bardolph is a drunkard pal of Henry who encourages him to commit petty crimes, resulting in the doubt and disapproval Henry's father shows toward Henry as heir to the throne.
.Bardolph's facial features, permanently flushed from alcohol and covered in pustules are a constant target of ribald remarks, often symbolically linked to imagery of heat and hellfire. In Henry IV, Part I, Falstaff says "I never see thy face but I think upon hell-fire and Dives that lived in purple; for there he is in his robes, burning, burning."[2] In Part 2 Hal satirically says that Bardolph's "zeal burns in his nose", to which Falstaff replies "The fiend hath pricked down Bardolph irrecoverable; and his face is Lucifer's privy-kitchen, where he doth nothing but roast malt-worms .
My response to my research
In Henry V my character is still insulated about his appearance;especially his nose.This is shown when the boy says he saw a flea stick upon bardolphs nose and said it was a black soul burning i hell fire.
Knowing that Bardolph and Henry were childhood friends i now have a different perspective of Bardlophs hanging which henry agreed to.By Henry agreeing to Bardlophs execution its shows he maturing and taking on more responsibility as a king.
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.
Below are the sources where my information was gathered from.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardolph_%28Shakespeare_character%29
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/henryv/section7.rhtml
http://www.shmoop.com/henry-v/pistol-bardolph-nim.html
INTERESTING FACT OF THE DAY
'Bardolphs execution is based on a real incident where a solider,whose name is not known was hanged during the campaign in France for robbing a church.'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardolph_%28Shakespeare_character%29
QUOTE OF THE DAY
'In Shakespeare's words lie all the clues to character and situation that any reader or actor needs.
It's simply a matter of knowing how to find them. The clues are not necessarily in the meanings of
the words - the rhythms of the language and the patterns and sounds of the words contain a great
deal of valuable information.'-http://www.teachingshakespeare.ac.uk/
