Shakespeare

Catalog description

English 129H constitutes a broad introduction to Shakespeare's dramatic works from a variety of thematic, historical, formal, and/or generic vantages. Students practice close reading Shakespeare's language while also learning how his plays reflect upon the social and theatrical conventions of the historical period in which they were written and performed. The class will consider issues such as gender, social class, politics, sexuality, and race, as students learn how early modern perspectives on these issues may differ from their own. In order to analyze how Shakespeare's plays continue to be adapted and transformed around the world, the class may also involve the study of modern stage and film performances of Shakespeare. This class prepares students for advanced courses in early modern literatures as well as other academic courses that engage in the verbal and written analysis of complex written texts.