The first known script comes from a. Greece b. Egypt c. Rome
The single performer in an early Greek play was called a. the lead b. the antagonist c. the protagonist
A satirical play a. always has a tragic ending b. has a religious purpose c. uses humour to criticize something
Discussion/essay questions
How often do you go to the theatre? Do you think movies have replaced traditional theatre? Why or why not?
What are some examples of satirical stories? Do you think satire is an important kind of art? Why or why not?
Transcript
Many ancient cultures used performance to tell stories. Early performances often had no “audience.” People would gather in groups and act out scenes to each other. The first known script is the ancient Egyptian Passion Play, which tells the story of the god Osiris. In ancient Greece, outdoor theatres were built to display performances. The earliest Greek plays often had a single performer, who was called the protagonist. Over time, more complex comedies and tragedies developed. Throughout history, plays often had religious purposes. However, many plays were also satirical. They used exaggerated characters and plots to mock social institutions, including religion. For this reason, the theatre was often controversial.
Some people think that Hamlet really loses his mind throughout the play. Others believe that Hamlet simply puts on such a good performance that he fools the audience as well. Which idea do you like better? Why do you think people can have such different interpretations of the same play?
Transcript
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a play by the famous English playwright William Shakespeare. The story is about a young prince named Hamlet whose father has recently died. Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, has declared himself the new king of Denmark. One day, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears and tells Hamlet that Claudius has murdered him. He asks his son to investigate Claudius and avenge his death. While investigating, Hamlet pretends to lose his mind so that Claudius doesn’t get suspicious. However, as the play goes on, Hamlet slowly becomes obsessed with revenge. Eventually, his fake insanity starts to seem real. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, and it has inspired many modern adaptations.
Romeo and Juliet is a world-famous play that has been translated into many languages and performed many times. Have you ever seen the play? Did you enjoy it?
Even before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, the theme of forbidden love was very common in books and plays. It’s still very popular today. Why do you think people like this theme so much?
Transcript
Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy written by English playwright William Shakespeare. The main characters of the story are two teenagers named Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Their families have an ancient feud. The two first meet at a masquerade ball, and they fall in love almost instantly. However, they later discover that they are members of rival families, and their relationship would be forbidden. They decide to get married in secret. But Juliet’s parents want her to marry someone else, a man named Paris who is a friend of the family. Towards the end of the story, Juliet fakes her death so that she doesn’t have to marry Paris. Romeo, believing that Juliet is dead, poisons himself so that he doesn’t have to live without her. When Juliet wakes up, she finds Romeo dead and kills herself as well. The story ends when the two families realize their feud has gone too far and decide to forgive each other.
The Diary of a Young Girl is often read in schools to help students understand what European Jews went through under Nazi rule. Why is it important to teach this history in schools? What could happen if stories like Anne’s were forgotten?
Transcript
The Diary of a Young Girl is a book made up of real diary entries from a girl named Anne Frank. The entries tell the story of Anne’s life as a Jewish teenager during World War II. Anne first started writing in this diary when she was thirteen. Her writings told about her family, her thoughts on the war, and her hopes and dreams. For over two years, Anne and her family hid in an annex attached to a shop, in order to avoid being found by the Nazis. Part of her diary was written while her family was in hiding. An informant reported the location of the Frank family to the German police in 1944, and Anne, her mother, and her sister died in concentration camps in 1945. Anne’s father, Otto Frank, found and published her diary after World War II was over. Today, Anne’s story is one that students often read in schools to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust.
On April 26, 1986, the nuclear reactor of the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine . The explosion occurred early in the morning, while plant were performing a maintenance check. They had turned off a control system that was keeping the reactor stable. The initial explosion killed two of the workers, and 28 other workers died of radiation sickness in the months after the . The explosion also caused residents of a nearby town called Pripyat to be exposed to radiation. Because of this, the residents were forced to evacuate and find new places to live. In order to more deaths from radiation exposure, the of what was then the Soviet Union created an exclusion zone around the Chernobyl plant. Although the zone is now safe for tourists to visit, scientists believe that the most contaminated areas will not be habitable for over 20,000 years.
Comprehension questions
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Discussion/essay questions
Nuclear power is a controversial topic. Many people are afraid of the potential dangers that nuclear power plants could cause. Chernobyl is a good example of this. However, nuclear power is a useful source of energy that doesn’t release carbon dioxide. How do you feel about nuclear power? Is it too dangerous, or are the benefits are more important than the risks?
Transcript
On April 26, 1986, the nuclear reactor of the Chernobyl Power Plant in Ukraine exploded. The explosion occurred early in the morning, while plant workers were performing a maintenance check. They had turned off a control system that was keeping the reactor stable. The initial explosion killed two of the workers, and 28 other workers died of radiation sickness in the months after the disaster. The explosion also caused residents of a nearby town called Pripyat to be exposed to radiation. Because of this, the residents were forced to evacuate and find new places to live. In order to prevent more deaths from radiation exposure, the government of what was then the Soviet Union created an exclusion zone around the Chernobyl plant. Although the zone is now safe for tourists to visit, scientists believe that the most contaminated areas will not be habitable for over 20,000 years.
Do you know of any modern books, movies, or plays that are based on Shakespeare’s plays?
Why do you think that so much modern entertainment is inspired by these plays?
Transcript
William Shakespeare was an English dramatist and poet, currently considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. He was born in 1564 in Stratford, where he would spend the rest of his childhood. At age 18, he married a woman named Anne Hathaway, and the couple had three children together. After the birth of his youngest two children, Shakespeare travelled to London and helped to found an acting company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. While working as an actor, Shakespeare began to write scripts. One of the first plays to be officially credited to Shakespeare was the iconic Romeo and Juliet, a story of two young lovers who come from rival families. During his life, Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays: 14 comedies, 12 tragedies, and 12 histories. Shakespeare died in 1616 – over 400 years ago – but his plays are still relevant today because of their influence on modern stories. In fact, many of today’s books, movies, and plays are based on concepts from Shakespeare’s work.
The sinking of the Titanic has inspired many books, movies, and conspiracy theories. Why do you think people are still so fascinated by this event?
Transcript
The Titanic was a British passenger ship that sank to the bottom of the ocean during its first voyage. The ship was constructed during the 1900s by a transportation company known as White Star. This was a part of their plan to introduce a new set of luxury passenger ships that would transport wealthy people across the Atlantic Ocean. White Star finished building the Titanic in 1911. At that time, it was the biggest ship that had ever been built. The Titanic was designed with safety compartments that could fill up with water if any issues occurred. Because of this, many people believed that the Titanic was unsinkable. In April 1912, the Titanic began its trip from England to the United States, carrying over 2,000 passengers. While at sea, the ship collided with an iceberg and began to overflow. Passengers and crew evacuated the ship, but there were not enough lifeboats on board to save everyone. Out of the original 2,000 passengers, only 705 survived. The sinking of the Titanic has since been known as one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century.
