I performed Emily’s famous monologue in an acting class in middle school, but had never read the entire play before. Powerful in its simplicity.

English for Swedish students note: I used this with an 8th grade class. I read most of the Stage Manager’s longer portions aloud, with explanations where necessary. The class read portions of each act aloud, by character, with manipulation for length according to reading strength and comfort. I also showed the YouTube video of a production with Hal Hallbrook after we had gone over each act. The class was generally advanced, so it worked well.

The play contains many historical references and a lot of spoken vernacular. We also compared life in an American small town in the first part of the 1900s to life in both current and past Swedish culture. I think the students felt a sense of accomplishment from reading what they perceived as a long text (over 100 pages), even though the play format takes up more space on the page more quickly.