Many of us use film clips in the classroom when we teach plays, especially when we teach Shakespeare. This makes a great deal of sense, as we’re teaching something that’s meant to be seen. But how do we actually use these clips? Or even full films? And why are we doing this, from a pedagogical standpoint?
I’ve used portions of films so that students understand what’s happening in the play. For example, watching the ending of A Doll’s House has more emotional impact on students than only reading it, which increases their appreciation for the play. So, there’s utility there. But sometimes this method feels almost like a cop-out to me. I worry that I’m showing students a lengthy (30 minute) clip just to avoid having to actually lead discussion.
So I’ve been working on using film in other ways – beyond simply making sure that students understand the plot.
Plays are, of course, highly collaborative in nature. That collaboration continues well after the playwright is dead, since the plays continue to be performed and re-imagined by various and varied directors. This is especially true in Shakespearean plays; each director imagines a different version of Shakespeare, each actor brings something different to the role, and the filming can draw our attention to different aspects of a scene or soliloquy. I’ve found it useful to compare these collaborations, and thus far I’ve attempted this sort of comparative work with Hamlet (in intro to lit) and King Lear (in my senior-level Shakespeare course). Continue reading “Film in the Classroom”