Your goal in Stage II is to engage your mind actively by searching the literary text for physical and visual clues that will establish the purpose for reading it and will help you predict its meaning. Using these clues and your own background knowledge, you will explore the text and speculate on what you might learn from it. Certain words and phrases will suggest a context, which may or may not be correct, and the context in turn will trigger information about similar situations you may have experienced, read about, or heard about. The results of your pre-reading observations will then provide the basis for free association exercises. Stay open to all possibilities. Here quantity of thought is the goal; correctness of thought can be determined later.

Strategy 1. Make Working Copy of Text

El viejo celoso (263.0K)

Task 1. Copy Text. Click the link above and print out the play.

Task 2. Segment Text. There are 371 lines in the play. If you make each segment approximately 25 lines long, there will be about 15 segments.

Task 3. Number Segments. Number the segments and write those numbers on a separate sheet of paper. Remember to allow plenty of space to write about each segment; if possible, have no more than two segments per page. You will use this numbered paper to document observations and information about the corresponding segments.

Strategy 2. Brainstorm About Title

Task 1. Review. Look back at Task 2 in Stage I, Strategy 3, and review the origin and definition of a "cuckold." Also review the information about Cervantes' attitude toward society.

Task 2. Brainstorm.

1.			Based on the information from Task 1, brainstorm about El viejo celoso. What might the play be about? Will it be satirical or realistic? Who might do what to whom?

Strategy 3. Skim Text for Main Idea

Task 1. Skim Each Segment.

2.			Working through one segment at a time, skim for the main idea. Make notes on the numbered paper you created to correspond with the segments. Make note of characters' names and the gist of the action. Write one or two sentences for each segment. Be sure to make note of the relevant lines in the text so that you can substantiate your observations.

Strategy 4. Brainstorm and Speculate

Task 1. Compare.

3.			Compare observations from Strategy 3 with the members of your study group. Make sure everyone provides textual support to substantiate the observations.

Task 2. Elaborate.

4.			Elaborate on your own answers with the information provided by your study group.

Task 3. Brainstorm and Speculate.

5.			Brainstorm about the main idea of the play. Fill in any gaps that exist after completing Tasks 1 and 2. Speculate on why the action takes place and how the action might affect the outcome of the play.