An Appreciation for Shakespeare, An Appreciation for Film
What I appreciate the most in reading the students’ journals is the variety of observations from the same perspective. For instance, having shown Polanski’s Macbeth to seniors since 1993, this was the first year, thanks to a student seated in “the gallery,” that I appreciated how Polanski staged Macbeth’s mad scene on the same platform where he staged the bloody bear-baiting scene, reinforcing Macbeth’s desperate line, “They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, / But, bear-like, I must fight the course” (Macbeth 3.4.100—01). To be fair, it may be that for the first time the details of the scene’s background were visible thanks to upgrading from a 22-inch TV to a LCD projector; however, the student’s observation affirmed that when students take a virtual seat, they are practicing multiple layers of aesthetic appreciation: an appreciation for Shakespeare, an appreciation for film, and an appreciation for the artistic choices directors make.
Periodically, I hit the pause button to pose a discussion question to my multitiered audience. For instance, “Which seats found this scene controversial and why” or “Which seats found this last scene entertaining Boring” Probably one of the most profound insights I’ve gleaned in my study of Shakespeare came when I asked a class of ninth graders viewing Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, “What do you think all the bawdy jokes and puns in act 1 are doing in a play about teenage suicide” A boy from the virtual gallery responded: “It intensifies the tragedy. The laughter softens up our belly muscles, and allows the dagger of tragedy to plunge deeper.”
Yes, the class sat still for this breathtaking moment, and yes, eleven years later, I’m still citing this student’s observation to my classes. The ninth-grade boy’s comment embodies the worth of taking a virtual seat—not only does it force students into observing details, it also gives them permission to express themselves from a different perspective. Thus, Shakespeare, like his play Julius Caesar, bleeds many colors because we choose to look for the many hues—even when the film is only available in black and white.
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