Schlitz, L. (2007). Good masters! Sweet ladies! voices from a medieval village. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Candlewick Press.
This is a collection of monologues and a a couple of dialogues set in a village in England in the year 1255. There are 22 young characters that speak and describe something from their life during this period of time. The monologues are poetic and some combine characters from the previous story, but none depend on each other. We learn about Hugo and his ability to hunt a boar. Taggot, the blacksmith's daughter who has a crush on Hugo. Will is a plow boy who helps his father tend the land, keep his secrets and take care of his mother and sister even after he has died. Alice is the Shepherdess who considers herself to be "more sheep than human" and even saves the life of one of her sheep through song. Thomas is the doctor's son who learns from his father about the practice and saving lives. Constance is a hunchback pilgrim who is eager to find healing through a magical spring. Mogg is the villein's daughter who describes how her violent father dies and about her cow Paradise. Otho is the miller's son who describes his father and his job and how he cheated villagers out of their portion of flour. Jack is the half-wit brother of Mogg who is friend's with Otho because he helps him after his father beats him. Simon is the knight's son who's family now has no more money and says that Simon has to be a monk instead. Edgar is the falconer's son who has stolen his sparrowhawk, trained it and is setting it free, but does not care about his punishment for it. Isobel is the Lord's daughter who has a stain on her gown from someone throwing "dung" at her. Barbary is the mud slinger who throws the dung at Isobel in a moment of jealousy. Jacob Ben Salomon (the moneylender's son) and Petronella (the merchant's daughter) are in the first dialogue of the book, although spoken not directly to each other but about each other. Jacob is a Jew and Petronella is a Christian but they see something in each other that makes them peacefully skip rocks across the water rather than throw them at each other. Lowdy is the varlet's child who had to deal with fleas. Pask is the runaway who finds help from Lowdy. Piers is the glass blower's apprentice who discovers that blowing glass is harder than it looks. Mariot and Maud are the glass blower's daughters and their father said one of them will marry Piers. Mariot wants to marry him, but Maud does not. Nelly is the "snigger" who catches eels and frogs to sell and saves Drogo from drowning. Drogo is the tanner's apprentice who is proud of producing leather goods. Giles is the beggar who has the final monologue that starts with the title of the book "Good masters, sweet ladies!". Giles and his father the medieval version of con artists.
In this historical Newberry Award picture book of poetry, the monologues of each character describe something from the period of time which it is trying to portrait. The poems are created in the 21st century by the author but are given specific period vocabulary and wording that makes the reader feel as though it was an original work of Shakespeare. It is written with some style of medieval language or old English but with enough common modern language for adolescents to understand. Accuracy, research, and validity are present with footnotes, bibliography, and the very helpful pages titles "a little background" that explain the thinking and culture of the times. With this style, the author is also able to right from the point of view of a young person, making each character relatable with today's audience. The characters make up the entire collection as no major plot is present. Their is not one main character but a collaboration of 22 characters each with their own story to tell. Because of the characters and style of this writing, it is a perfect reading for presentation, drama class/club, or any opportunity to act out to present these characters and the time period that it represents.
This is a collection of monologues and a a couple of dialogues set in a village in England in the year 1255. There are 22 young characters that speak and describe something from their life during this period of time. The monologues are poetic and some combine characters from the previous story, but none depend on each other. We learn about Hugo and his ability to hunt a boar. Taggot, the blacksmith's daughter who has a crush on Hugo. Will is a plow boy who helps his father tend the land, keep his secrets and take care of his mother and sister even after he has died. Alice is the Shepherdess who considers herself to be "more sheep than human" and even saves the life of one of her sheep through song. Thomas is the doctor's son who learns from his father about the practice and saving lives. Constance is a hunchback pilgrim who is eager to find healing through a magical spring. Mogg is the villein's daughter who describes how her violent father dies and about her cow Paradise. Otho is the miller's son who describes his father and his job and how he cheated villagers out of their portion of flour. Jack is the half-wit brother of Mogg who is friend's with Otho because he helps him after his father beats him. Simon is the knight's son who's family now has no more money and says that Simon has to be a monk instead. Edgar is the falconer's son who has stolen his sparrowhawk, trained it and is setting it free, but does not care about his punishment for it. Isobel is the Lord's daughter who has a stain on her gown from someone throwing "dung" at her. Barbary is the mud slinger who throws the dung at Isobel in a moment of jealousy. Jacob Ben Salomon (the moneylender's son) and Petronella (the merchant's daughter) are in the first dialogue of the book, although spoken not directly to each other but about each other. Jacob is a Jew and Petronella is a Christian but they see something in each other that makes them peacefully skip rocks across the water rather than throw them at each other. Lowdy is the varlet's child who had to deal with fleas. Pask is the runaway who finds help from Lowdy. Piers is the glass blower's apprentice who discovers that blowing glass is harder than it looks. Mariot and Maud are the glass blower's daughters and their father said one of them will marry Piers. Mariot wants to marry him, but Maud does not. Nelly is the "snigger" who catches eels and frogs to sell and saves Drogo from drowning. Drogo is the tanner's apprentice who is proud of producing leather goods. Giles is the beggar who has the final monologue that starts with the title of the book "Good masters, sweet ladies!". Giles and his father the medieval version of con artists.
In this historical Newberry Award picture book of poetry, the monologues of each character describe something from the period of time which it is trying to portrait. The poems are created in the 21st century by the author but are given specific period vocabulary and wording that makes the reader feel as though it was an original work of Shakespeare. It is written with some style of medieval language or old English but with enough common modern language for adolescents to understand. Accuracy, research, and validity are present with footnotes, bibliography, and the very helpful pages titles "a little background" that explain the thinking and culture of the times. With this style, the author is also able to right from the point of view of a young person, making each character relatable with today's audience. The characters make up the entire collection as no major plot is present. Their is not one main character but a collaboration of 22 characters each with their own story to tell. Because of the characters and style of this writing, it is a perfect reading for presentation, drama class/club, or any opportunity to act out to present these characters and the time period that it represents.
No comments:
Post a Comment