Shakespearean Characters

How to bring them alive!

What is characterization?

Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

What is our job as an actor?We reveal our character through direct characterization and indirect characterization.

Direct Characterization

When the author tells the audience what the personality of the character is.

Indirect Characterization

Shows things that reveal the personality of a character in one of these ways:

Speech

What does the character say? How does the character speak?

Thoughts

What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?

Effect on others toward the character

What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people?

How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?

Actions

What does the character do? How does the character behave?

Looks

What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

It’s SHOW and TELL!

You can TELL what the character is like (your worksheet assignment)

You can SHOW how the character is (the acting exercise we’re doing next week)

Shakespeare Show and Tell!Part 1: The Characterization Guide(an example of Alice in You Can’t Take It With You)

Type of Indirect Characterization

Examples: Direct Characterization 

Explanation: Indirect Characterization 

Speech

Sugarcoats her concerns about her eccentric family; eager to please the Kirbys with nervous interjections; upset at breaking up with Tony.

Alice is very comfortable in her own family, she is happy around them, so when she is sad it is very unusual. Her voice will drop in register and become softer and more introspective. Around the Kirbys she is nervous, so her dialogue may come more rapidly and higher-pitched.

Thoughts

 ”I love you dearly, Tony, but I love them too”; she spends time alone in her room shutting people out while she thinks how to react to the dinner party

Alice is constantly torn between her love for her family and their quirks and her love for Tony and a “normal” life.

Effect on others

Devoted to her family; love shown for and from her family; Tony tricks his parents to allow them to see who she really is; Tony will do anything to keep her

 Her family will do anything for Alice, including letting her go away from home. They feel bad for having embarrassed her and don’t know how to help make things right.

Actions

“Small nervous flutter”; plays hostess for Tony after date; checklist for the dinner party; trying to smooth out first impressions with Kirbys; packing up a suitcase

Alice is excited for her developing relationship with Tony and it puts her in a state of nervous energy. She works to make things go smoothly and doesn’t sit still for long. She is determined and will do what she believes is best.

Looks ”Lovely, fresh”; in love; upbeat with shoulders high; at the end of the play dejected and sad

Alice moves in a sort of love-daze through everyday actions. She stands tall and proud. As the play goes on she pulls energy inward and her posture breaks and she fears looking directly into others’ eyes.

Shakespeare Show and Tell!Part 2: The Characterization Performance

Write up a 30-second narration based on the explorations discovered in the Guide.

Type this up and print it out. Create a costume for your character Prepare a 30-second “slice of life”

presentation of your character doing something everyday or something inspired by the storyline of the play.

Be prepared to perform in costume while the narration is read.

Now it’s YOUR turn!