prose (fiction / non-fiction)
drama
poetry
Fiction:
novel (e.g. historical / psychological / detective / romantic novel, love story, adventure story)
short story
fairy tale
legend
fantasy
science- fiction
Non-fiction:
user manual
textbook
dictionary
biography / autobiography
travel literature
Drama:
tragedy
comedy
history / historical play
sketch
musical
opera
Poetry:
lyric
epic
ballad
sonnet etc.
• Do you like reading books?
o Why / Why not?
o What kinds of books do you like reading? Why?
• Who is your favourite writer?
o Why?
o Which of his / her books do you like best? Why?
• Speak briefly about one English or American writer / poet / playwright.
Use (some of) the following items:
Name, country, nationality
Born at … in …
Family / social / religious / ethnic background
Education
Career
Lived in …
Family (partner, children)
Inspiration, kind of books
Success
Died of … at … in …
• Retell one of these stories:
o William Shakespeare: Hamlet
o Oscar Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray
o John Steinbeck: The Pearl
o Edgar Allan Poe: A Descent into the Maelstrom
o Oscar Wilde: The Canterville Ghost
• What do you know about William Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
William Shakespeare is probably the greatest dramatist and poet in the English language. Unfortunatelly, very little is known about his life.
He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 and grew up in the family of a rich glover and merchant. Shakespeare attended the local grammar school. He married at the age of 18. His wife, Anne Hathaway was 26. They had three children.
In 1585, he left Stratford and went to London. He joined a group of actors called the Lord Chamberlain´s Men (later known as the Kings Men). He acted and wrote plays for his acting company and became one of the owners of the Globe Theatre in London.
During his lifetime Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets and several narrative poems ( e.g. Venus and Adonis). He earned so much money that he could buy the second-largest house in Stratford.
Around 1610, he returned to Stratford and retired. He died in 1616.
His plays include
17 comedies (e.g. Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night´s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice)
10 tragedies (e.g. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello)
10 histories (history plays) (e.g. Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI).
• What do you know about Oscar Wilde?
Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
Oscar Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of many short stories and one novel.
He was born in Dublin in 1854 into a rich and well-educated family. Wilde himself studied at universities in Dublin and Oxford.
After graduation he lived in London and soon became one of the greatest "celebrities" of the late Victorian era. He was a master of witty conversation and teacher of aesthetics. Rich people invited him to their homes. He was extravagant and often provoked other people with his opinions and appearance.
Oscar Wilde married and had two sons but his marriage came to an end after a homosexual affair of his.
In 1895, Wilde was accused of homosexuality. He was arrested and sentenced to two years hard labour for the crime of sodomy. He spent two years in Reading Gaol. In 1897, he wrote a poem about the inhuman conditions in Reading Prison called “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”.
He came out of prison a broken man. He spent the rest of his life wandering Europe, staying with friends and living in cheap hotels. He died in 1900 in Paris.
Wilde was a brilliant dramatist and writer. He wrote comedies which are based on witty dialogues, e.g.:
• An Ideal Husband
• The Importance of Being Earnest (Jak je důležité míti Filipa).
He also wrote fairy tales, e.g.:
• The Happy Prince
• The Nightingale and The Rose (Slavík a růže)
• A Devoted Friend (Oddaný přítel)
and short stories, e.g.:
• The Canterville Ghost.
His only novel is called
• The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Žádné komentáře:
Okomentovat