Introduction to Shakespeare (234-0-01)

Instructors

Jeffrey Masten

Meeting Info

University Hall 122: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

We'll read a range of Shakespeare's plays: comedy, history, tragedy, and tragicomedy, from early in his career to his final works. The course will introduce the plays by introducing them back into the context of the theatre, literary world, and culture in which Shakespeare originally wrote them. We will think about Shakespeare's contexts and how they matter: a theatre on the outskirts of ever-expanding Renaissance London; a financially successful acting company in which he played the simultaneous and often overlapping roles of writer, actor, and co-owner; a world of reading and writing in which words, plots, and texts were constantly being re-circulated into new plays; the rich possibilities of the English language around 1600. We will centrally consider the ways in which these theatrical, literary, and cultural questions register within the plays themselves. What do words, plays, stories do—how do they work—in Shakespeare's plays? Who or what is an audience or an actor in these plays? How do Shakespeare's plays stage issues such as gender, race, religion, sexuality, social class, entertainment and the media -- and how does his approach to these issues continue to speak to our own era? Plays will include: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Henry V, As You Like It, Hamlet, The Tempest, The Two Noble Kinsmen.

Teaching Method

Lectures with discussion; required weekly discussion section.

Evaluation Method

Papers, midterm, final, discussion participation.

Class Materials (Required)

We'll use the high-quality, inexpensive Folger Library annotated paperback editions of the following plays, ed. Mowat and Werstine (these editions only; physical texts required):

A Midsummer Night's Dream (978-1501146213);
The Merchant of Venice (978-1439191163);
Henry V (978-0743484879);
As You Like It (978-0743484862);
Hamlet, Updated edition (978-1451669411);
The Tempest, Updated edition (978-1501130014);
The Two Noble Kinsmen (978-1982170165);
additional critical readings on Canvas.

Texts available at Norris Bookstore.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for English and Creative Writing students.

Associated Classes

DIS - Harris Hall L05: Fri 12:00PM - 12:50PM

DIS - 555 Clark 230: Fri 12:00PM - 12:50PM

DIS - University Library 4722: Fri 1:00PM - 1:50PM

DIS - University Library 4670: Fri 1:00PM - 1:50PM