Course Description:
In this class, we will explore Shakespeare’s plays and poems to work toward gaining a better understanding of the landscape of early modern literature. We will read some of Shakespeare’s sonnets as well as three plays: a tragedy, a history, and a comedy–each of the genres listed in the folio. We will examine the nuances of these genres and investigate the technical and artistic structures of literary and dramatic texts. Additionally, we will look at short selections of primary sources from the early modern period that served as inspiration to Shakespeare as well as adaptations, performances, and scholarly criticism. We will analyze how views of race, gender, disability, power (and other topics) are represented in the renaissance as compared to today.
Course Goals:
- Analyze Shakespeare’s works alongside historical sources, performances, criticism, and adaptations in order to better understand interpretations and the idea that literary works often have different, shifting meanings
- Explore how Shakespeare’s works relate to, respond to, and influence performance, culture, and history from the early modern period to today
- Refine reading, writing, analysis, and presentation skills
View the syllabus here.
View the major assignments here.
View an older version of the course here.