So that title is actually a misnomer. Are the raps from Julius Caesar? Sure they are – but the students are actually charged with updating Antony’s funereal speech in which he eulogizes his friend Caesar while charging the commoners with seeking revenge for Caesar’s death.
While some students dread the assignment (cough, cough, Melissa!), others look forward to it and shine. Beyond creating a rap or a song, what’s most important is demonstrating their ability to update Shakespeare’s Elizabethan English while “translating” Antony’s speech at the same time.
It’s great to see this final product — and it’s also great to see students get out of their comfort zones and push themselves!
