Reflection
Macbeth is such powerful story, full of insanity! This project incorporated not only reading Shakespeare, but experiencing Shakespeare. We were able to make his play come to life in our own way as puppets danced across the screen. It was incredible being able to create a play with a group of classmates, learning to communicate and collaborate. For this project, we created teams to work on different aspects of the play. For instance, we had an art team, sound team, stage/lighting team, etc.. I was fortunate to be the producer of this play. I was the one who oversaw the whole process and made sure every one was on track. It felt amazing to produce and create a play with my class. This experience has lead me to know I can take on other challenges.
At first, as we began this project, I didn't really know what to expect and didn't know much about Shakespeare. I didn't even know if I liked him. As we continued though, I was able to realize what I was in for. I also began to appreciate Shakespeare, no matter how twisted he seemed. I might not have connected as much to the actual language and flow of Shakespeare's writing, but I really connected with themes of the story. I most enjoyed getting to work with everyone and seeing how hard they all worked at the final showing of our play. I felt so proud and that was also the best moment throughout the course of the project.
The project also had many bumps along the way. It was difficult to work smoothly with the entire crew sometimes. At times it was difficult to fully communicate with all the groups and get what we needed accomplished during the class time provided. The most challenging thing I had to deal with was the cooperation of the puppeteers. It was hard to direct them and a lot of times they wouldn't put in their full effort or attention. One time, I was working with a puppeteer group and I was getting really frustrated as they were not following my directions. However, I realized that getting frustrated and angry wouldn't help either of us. So I pushed through the struggle I was having and ended up trying to effectively communicate with my group to reach the common goal of trying to smoothly finish the rehearsal. I persevered past my insecurities about not getting the rehearsal done, and in the end it turned out much better. I was very proud I was able to persevere past my control habits and work smoothly with my group. Overall, I felt great about the outcome and the journey to the final performance.
Throughout this project, I think I have grown enormously. I feel more confident in my collaboration skills. I learned that sometimes instead of getting worked up and becoming controlling, you just have to let go and realize that not everything can turn out as planned. I realized though, that in order to be a good leader, it is okay to tell others what you need from them and at times be demanding. On occasion, I would feel afraid to be commanding and now realize that I should have been maybe a little more direct at times, without being overly aggressive or forceful. Specifically, when we were rehearsing with the shadow puppets, I got worked up and angry, but instead of being calm and commanding, I was just frustrated. As we continued though, I began to loosen up and put my self in their shoes to make better decisions and get what we needed done as a group.
At the end of this process, I can now say I am intrigued with Shakespeare and actually enjoy his plays. I now realize after 400 years why the English-speaking world still gravitates to and celebrates the works of William Shakespeare. Not only was Shakespeare a fabulous and artistic writer, but he brought up themes and lessons that will always be relevant in todays world. He wrote about themes of trust and betrayal and the drama that comes with it. The thing I believe he is best at and thus still celebrated today, was the way he layered his writing to have so many different and creative meanings. In Macbeth, he wrote “lesser than Macbeth yet greater” to Baquo's character from the witches. This expresses how Baquo would have less than Macbeth in physical things, like wealth, but would be greater, because unlike Macbeth, he would be pure and in the end live a better life without guilt. This layering is astounding to me and comes to show how Shakespeare is influential in expressing great lessons in life.