As you’ve been reading Twelfth Night, you may have wondered what the play would be like if Shakespeare had lived in the present day. Now is your chance to find out! The goal for this discussion is to help you choose a scene from the play that you will rewrite with a modern feel. You will adapt dialogue, setting, characters, and so on, as needed. In your post, you will share ideas about what scenes you may choose to rewrite, and your classmates will provide feedback.
Lets read an excerpt from one of your classmates posts:
Malvolio: Hang on—there was something at the bottom of the text. (He scrolls through the text and reads aloud) How can I be sure your feelings are legit? You have a great smile. If you REALLY like me, always smile in my presence. (His eyes widen.) Smile all the time? That’s all I have to do? (He stretches his lips and face into an exaggerated smile.) Oh, I’ll smile. I’ll smile all day and all night, if that’s what it takes to get you to go out with me! He walks away, showing all of his teeth in a forced smile, waving his phone in the air.
Do you think a modern version of this scene will work well? Have I made the stage directions clear enough? Can you imagine the actions in your mind? Does it keep the humor of the scene? Are the modern words and phrases clear and understandable so that you can tell what is happening?
Create one original post in which you
Plan your writing by skimming scenes in the play and choosing one to rewrite in modern English. If you are changing a setting or character, what would they be like in modern times? How should the dialogue be written?
Ask specific questions that encourage your classmates to give you suggestions and other feedback about your post.
