Shakespeare and comedy

This lesson provides students with an introduction to the features of Shakespearean comedy, highlighting the similarities between what contemporary audiences find funny and Shakespeare’s humour.

Bottom, unaware that his head has been transformed into a donkey's

Topic: Shakespeare

Level: B2+

Time: 90 minutes

Aims:

To develop students’ ability to identify and use topic sentences
To develop students’ knowledge of comedy and humour-related lexis
To develop students’ awareness of the features of Shakespearean comedy

Copyright - please read

All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other web site without written permission from the BBC and British Council. If you have any questions about the use of these materials please email us at: teachingenglish@britishcouncil.org

Downloads

Lesson plan

Worksheet

Comedy cards for Warmer

Need a little more help with your professional development? Find a training course for your needs.

Add new comment

A - Z of Content

A C D E L M O P R S T V W


A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Pictures
Crime and punishment in Shakespeare's time
Disguise in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
Extension activities for Shakespeare lesson plans
Lady Macbeth and How to Get What You Want
Lies in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
Lies in Shakespeare’s Othello
Macbeth
Marvellous Metaphors
Mercy in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

Professional development
-Teachers
--Planning lessons and courses
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Understanding learners
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Managing the lesson
---Articles
---Magazine
---Teaching reading and writing
---Teaching speaking
---Low-resource classrooms
---Find other content
--Knowing the subject
---Articles
---Magazine
---Teaching knowledge database
---TeachingEnglish radio
---Video tips
---Find other content
--Managing resources
---Articles
---Find other content
--Assessing learning
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Integrating ICT
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Taking responsibility for professional development
---Articles
---Magazine
---Networks
---Find other content
--Using inclusive practices
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Using multilingual approaches
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Promoting 21st century skills
---Articles
---Magazine
---Find other content
--Understanding educational policies and practices
---Articles
---Find other content
-Teacher educators
--Knowing the subject
---Articles
---Find other content
--Understanding the teaching context
---Articles
---Find other content
--Understanding how teachers learn
---Articles
---Find other content
--Supporting and mentoring teachers
---Articles
---Find other content
--Research and contributing to the profession
---Find other content
--Taking responsibility for own professional development
---Articles
---Find other content
--Monitoring teacher potential and performance
---Articles
---Find other content
--Managing and developing learning resources for teachers
---Articles
---Find other content
--Demonstrating effective teaching behaviour
---Articles
---Find other content
--Planning and managing teacher learning
---Find other content
--Enabling skills and self-awareness features
---Articles
---Find other content
Publications
-Resource books
-Case studies, insights and research
-Milestones in ELT
-ELT research database
-ELT Research Awards
--ELTRA guidelines
--ELTRA winners
--ELTRA FAQS
-ELT masters dissertations
--ELT Masters dissertations winners
--MA in ELT FAQs
--ELT Masters Dissertation Award
Teaching resources
-Teaching primary
--Lesson plans
---Level 1
---Level 2
---Level 3
--Activities
---Level 1
---Level 2
---Level 3
--Stories and poems
--Songs
--Teaching tools
-Teaching secondary
--Activities
---Beginner A1
---Pre-intermediate A2
---Intermediate B1
---Upper intermediate B2
---Advanced C1
--Lesson plans
---Pre-intermediate A2
---Intermediate B1
---Upper-intermediate B2
---Advanced C1
--Stories and poems
--Teaching tools
--UK history and literature
---Shakespeare
---Jane Austen
---Charles Dickens
---Dylan Thomas
---Magna Carta
---First World War
-Teaching adults
--Lesson plans
---Beginner A1
---Pre-intermediate A2
---Intermediate B1
---Upper intermediate B2
---Advanced C1
--Activities
---Pre-intermediate A2
---Intermediate B1
---Upper-intermediate B2
---Advanced C1
--English for business
Training
News and events
-Top stories
-IATEFL Online
--IATEFL Online 2019
--IATEFL Online 2018
-Webinars
-Conferences
-World Teachers' Day
--2016
--2017
--2018
--2019
-Seminars
-ELTons Innovation Awards
--ELTons Innovation Awards 2020
--Past ELTons
---ELTons 2019
---ELTons 2018
---ELTons 2017
--Become an ELTons judge