Honors Seminar: Shakespeare: Studies in the Politics of Performance

Catalog description

This course explores the direct and indirect ways that performances of Shakespeare’s plays engage political debates, challenge social norms, provide historical insights, and encourage audiences to participate in the often subversive experience of playing. The idea that “all the world’s a stage” was radical in Shakespeare’s day, and continues to be so in ours. Students examine productions of the plays within historical contexts, considering both what they might have signified for their original audiences and how they still speak to us today. Employing a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including theatre arts, students analyze a wide range of productions and their influence on and beyond the stage. The course culminates with students groups proposing politically and culturally engaged stagings of a number of scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, accompanied by contextualization and explanation of the production/performance choices. Prerequisite(s): ENG1027 , any ILS 2000-level course, honors or SHARP status, senior status. Offered at Providence 3 Semester Credits