The Bullying of Malvolio

Jenny GoranssonTSI 2010

In summary…

This lesson explores Malvolio’s behavior and treatment by having students first reflect on their own observations of bullying. They explore Malvolio’s scenes using

* role play* cut scenes* electronic comics

Stage one: Class brainstorm

• What is a bully?• Who is bullied and why?• What techniques are used by bullies?• What techniques are used by the victims of

bullies?• How do bystanders react to bullying?

Potential Kid Answers…• What is a bully? Mean, big, insecure, confident,

popular, feared, boys, girls• Who is bullied and why? Small, weak, unique,

different, fat, skinny, nerds, anyone• What techniques are used by bullies? Power in

numbers, cornering, practical jokes, name-calling, confident tone

• What techniques are used by the victims of bullies? Hiding, asking for help, power in numbers, pray, seek help from parent/teacher

• How do bystanders react to bullying? Giggle, disapprove but not say anything, tell the teacher

(These would be recorded on the board in a big list)

Stage two: Role-play

In groups of 2 or 3, students must create an improvised role-play using one or two of the techniques from the previous slide.

Because we have limited time, we will do a giant role-play as a class in which I am the bullying victim and you all are the group of bullies. Who will be our head bully?

Stage Three: Go to the text

Each small group is given a scene to annotate and cut to emphasize the same physical and vocal components of bullying that were discovered in the

role-play.

Stage Four: Comic Strips

This is the individual component of the lesson. Students must make two comic strips using www.pixton.com and text from the play:

Comic #1: Makes the reader laugh at Malvolio.Comic #2: Makes the reader feel sympathy for

Malvolio.

The sample on the next slide demonstrates the goals of comic #1.

SAMPLE COMIC

(Created using www.pixton.com)

Stage Five: Closure

DEBRIEF AS A CLASS: What does Twelfth Night teach us about the

universal ideas of bullying, punishment, or forgiveness?

Have our views of bullying changed since our initial conversation?

Possible Extensions/Adaptations:

• View this article connecting Malvolio to a real-life bullying incident: Click here to view Huffington Post Article

• Adapt this for Romeo and Juliet by looking at the bullying techniques of Mercutio and Tybalt in 3.1.