Shakespeare and Violence

This lesson introduces secondary and adult students of CEFR Level B2 and above to the theme of violence in Shakespeare's plays.

Introduction

This lesson introduces students to the topic of violence in some of Shakespeare's plays. First, students read and interpret quotes from six of Shakespeare's plays. They then listen to two people discussing violence in Shakespeare's work and identify some examples of violence. They examine the meaning of some informal expressions from the conversation, then finally discuss the theme of violence on the screen and in literature.

Note that this lesson contains references to acts such as gender violence and suicide. Please consider the age and sensitivity of your students when deciding whether to use this lesson.

Teachers can use a class presentation during this lesson for a no-printing option.