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Women in Shakespeare Workshop

Women in Shakespeare Workshop

On Tuesday 5th of November, St Andrews College welcomed two of our Artist in Residence from Bell Shakespeare who ran an activity-filled workshop that introduced the ‘Women in Shakespeare’ program to students. The event was a resounding success, offering students a unique opportunity to explore the multifaceted roles of women in Shakespeare’s works while engaging in interactive activities that fostered critical thinking and collaboration. It also worked to bridge the context of Shakespeare’s time to the understanding of today’s world.

Engaging Warm-ups

The workshop kicked off with lively Shakespeare-a-fied warm-ups that got everyone involved and energised. Students participated in fun, interactive exercises that introduced the language and themes of Shakespeare's time, setting the stage for deeper discussions.

Exploring Shakespeare’s Context

A significant part of the workshop focused on the historical context of Shakespeare's works. Students learned that during Shakespeare’s time, women were not allowed to act on stage; therefore, all female roles were portrayed by young men. This led to discussions about how the portrayal of women in the plays was influenced by societal norms of the Elizabethan era and how those norms shaped the characters and narratives in his works.

Sorting Statements Activity

One of the key activities involved sorting statements into categories: those relevant to Shakespeare’s time, our time, or applicable to both. Students examined thought-provoking statements such as:

“A woman can be a lawyer.”
“Women can write works of literature.”
“Women can rule a country.”

This exercise sparked meaningful conversations about the evolution of women’s rights and societal roles, allowing students to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that remain.

Exploring Juliet’s Perspective

For the final activity, students focused on the text of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ which was just from Juliet’s perspective. They were divided into groups and assigned different lines from the play to act out. Key moments included:

Juliet asking the Friar for help.
Juliet pleading with her father not to marry Paris.

By focusing the activities around Juliet's character, students gained insight into her motivations and the constraints she faced. This allowed students to appreciate the complexity of her character, highlighting that even though the play bears her name, her voice and experiences are often overshadowed.

Positive Feedback and Inclusivity

The students thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, and it was heartening to see male students actively participating in discussions about gender roles in literature. The collaborative environment encouraged all students to voice their thoughts and engage with the material in a meaningful way.

Looking Forward

We believe that workshops like these are vital in promoting awareness and appreciation for the contributions of women in literature and history. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped bring it to life, it made this workshop a memorable experience for the students.

We are excited to have this event act as a springboard for our ‘Women in Shakespeare’ program which will take place during Week 5 to Week 10.