This journal assignment is a quick analysis of William Shakespeare, his plays and their impact on Hollywood.  The object is to better understand and appreciate similarities and differences between Shakespearean theatre and film as an art, and to gain insights into various aspects of society, as reflected in the film versions.

• select one (and only one) of the following plays by William Shakespeare, which have also been made into a film – Hamlet (vs. 1994 film The Lion King), The Taming of the Shrew (vs. 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You), Romeo and Juliet  (vs. 1996 film William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet), or Macbeth (vs. 2001 film Scotland, PA)
• then determine the various ways the film version departs from and/or adheres to the original play
• lastly, offer your personal reflection if the film is more (or less) effective than the play

Factors to consider when preparing this brief analysis could include (but should not be limited by) the existence of critical issues in society at the time the film was made; while the plays are considered excellent examples of dramatic literature, the film versions (as art) are subjective; Shakespeare’s storytelling to a theatreaudience vs Hollywood’s message to a larger mass audience.

Create your response, in the Assignment submission box below (not in the Comments field), as a journal or diary entry.  The Journal Assignment should be at least one page long, approximately 350-400 words minimum.  Be careful of spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation – proofread and edit your work as necessary.  Think originality and creativity – images, graphics, video links, etc. are always encouraged to help tell describe your comparison (please cite your sources).  This assignment will be graded according to the Journal Assignment Rubric (attached).