Performing a soliloquy

Aims of the course

This course aims to:
1. Use the structure of the sonnet to understand metre and content.
2. Teach you how to project with confidence and a sense of enjoyment.
3. Identify the various figures of speech used in each sonnet.

Content

Sonnets are excellent exercise pieces for anyone wanting to feel more confident with Shakespeare’s language. They are short pieces, fourteen lines long which means that we can make a lot of progress during this course. The same wordplay is there in concentrated form and the rhythm is the same metre as blank verse. The form is intriguing, and the emotional journey is full of variety and wit. Each sonnet is like a little soliloquy.

We want to lose nervousness and learn to take risks, exploring the imagery and atmosphere of these remarkable poems. Some of them seem to reflect a personal experience , the contents are dramatic and as the scholar and theatre man John Barton says ,“cry out to be spoken.” The fourteen lines contain a pattern which is to be explored with a sense of engagement as well as exuberant use of figures of speech. We need to feel our way through these sonnets and make them your own.

Presentation of the course

We will start with a brief warm up using a different piece of sonnet verse each day. It would be good if each of you could choose a sonnet that really engages you but if there are too many duplications, I will make other suggestions. There are 154 sonnets to choose from! On the first day, the structure of the sonnet will be explained. Many of you will be familiar with the form but everyone needs to know how it works. Please bring a copy of the sonnets to each class, including the first workshop.

Class sessions

1. Become confident with the structure and shape of the sonnet form. We’ll take the verse apart and then put it together again.
2. Enjoy the wordplay, and the wit and humour, as well as the emotional involvement.
3. Identify figures of speech so that they help to tell the story and suggest the mood.
4. Speak aloud with energy and an intention to communicate. Work on breath control.
5. Think about how you might stage your sonnet. You can work in pairs if that seems a good idea.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:
1. To develop a real understanding of how the sonnet form works.
2. To bring the words off the page with a sense of performance and engagement.
3. To develop an awareness of how the work we have been engaged on would help in performance of a Shakespeare play.

Required reading

*Any edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Typical week: Monday to Friday

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students. 

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.