McKenna Studies Shakespeare

In our homeschool we are taking a Shakespeare class taught by McKenna's Aunt Amy. Her two daughters Karina and Katie are in the class and other teenagers from Seattle. Although we can't physically be in the class, we can listen in over the phone sometimes and share in the assignments. We have read As You Like It and are now reading Macbeth.

Here is one of McKenna's assignments. She composed a modern version of the speech from As You Like It about the seven ages of man. Here it is:

All the world's a mall. All the men and women are merely shop-a-holics. They open and walk through the entrance doors and exit as they please. There are seven parts to this life of cha-ching!

First there is the infant being hauled around the mall in a stroller all day by his mother, who is busy trying to find the cutest outfit for her precious little baby.

Second, there is the toddler, who thinks that the mall is the perfect place for hide-and-go seek, running around and hiding in between clothes racks, until you hear a "Can Stacey please come to the food court?" on the intercom, only meaning that mother has lost her little toddler.

Third, there is the whiney little schoolgirl, hanging on the side of her little sibling's stroller, and complaining always unless mommy is buying something for her.

Fourth, there is the teenage girl, with all her friends, spending much more than her Coldstone salary, shopping at Forever 21.

Fifth, there is the newlywed as she shops for the perfect dress to wear to dinner with her husband.

Sixth, there is the mom, with her three little kids following behind as she shops for herself, at Banana Republic, and looks throught the clothes at the Gymboree for her tots.

Seventh, there is the grandmother, old and weak, shopping with her husband, realizing just how much joy the mall has brought to her over the years.

The end is when she dies. Her spirit will always be in her favorite store.

Another assignment we did was to take the violent images which the captain in Act 1 Scene 2 of Macbeth uses to describe the battle to the king. We tried to illustrate each image:

And Fortune on his quarrel smiling.

They meant to bathe in reeking wounds
Or memorise another Golgotha.

As two spent swimmers that do cling together

And choke their art.

Yes, as sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion.
If I say sooth, I must report they were