Hard Words for Children: Shakespeare, Translation, and the Merchant of Venice’
The sessions are particularly relevant to primary and secondary teachers of English and Drama, but if you have any questions about the event please don’t hesitate to get in touch. A link to the full programme and the booking form is below. The event is free, and will include lunch, refreshments, and two wine receptions.
The Merchant of Venice broaches complex issues such as interfaith marriage, ethnicity, parent/child relations and racism, as well as “extreme” feelings like jealousy, envy, and greed. Can a children's version be created without oversimplifying or neutralizing its disturbing implications? Can it be put on its feet in the classroom? How can teachers develop practical work that honours Shakespeare while exploring this play's 'hard words'? What part might translation play?
These questions are addressed in Hard Words for Children: Shakespeare, Translation, and The Merchant of Venice, a two-day conference that presents a programme of academic papers alongside practical workshops. We consider 'translation' in its broadest meanings: language to language; medium to medium; text into performance, play into graphic novel, early modern 'Shakespeare' into post-modern demotic. This is a creative and participatory conference: it will give us tasks to do.
10 February 2017 13:00 - 18:00 Writer's Room, Millburn House, University of Warwick
11 February 2017 10.00 - 18:00 Rehearsal Room, Millburn House, University of Warwick