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Radio National: Was Shakespeare psychic, or just a smart guy?

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Four actors perform on stage
Radio National: Was Shakespeare psychic, or just a smart guy?

SUBJECTS:  English

YEARS:  9–10


Shakespeare's plays are strangely relevant to today's world.

Could he see what the world would be like 400 years into the future, or is it just that humans haven't changed much?

Hear Phillip Adams and John Bell (actor and director of the Bell Shakespeare company) discussing Shakespeare's enduring relevance, as well as his approach to female characters.

If you like this clip, listen to the full ABC RN documentary by clicking 'Download Audio' at this link: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/john-bell-on-shakespeare/3816434


Things to think about

  1. 1.Shakespeare is widely known for his comedies and tragedies, but his historical plays are equally fascinating. Do you know which historical figures are immortalised in Shakespearean plays? What female Shakespearean characters have you heard of? Do any images of them come to mind?
  2. 2.According to Bell, what are Shakespeare's early female characters like? How are his later ones different? What words does he use to describe them? Why does interviewer Phillip Adams suggest Shakespeare's prescience (foreknowledge) in the way he examines politics in plays like 'Julius Caesar'? What does John Bell suggest about the relationship between Shakespeare and our understanding of history?
  3. 3.Why do you think Shakespeare's plays remain so relevant to modern audiences? What do John Bell's comments about changes in Shakespeare's female characters over time suggest about the playwright's views on gender and power? How do these views compare with contemporary attitudes towards women?
  4. 4.Many directors choose to re-situate Shakespeare's plays in modern contexts. In recent years we've had versions of 'Macbeth' set in World War II, a Melbourne gangland and even a restaurant kitchen! Take the Shakespeare play you're studying and imagine how it might be translated into a contemporary context. Design a set for your production and explain why your interpretation would be effective.



Date of broadcast: 19 Feb 2014


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