Shakespeare: The Tragedies
Course Description
Summary
We will spend the term immersed in in-depth reading and analysis of the plot, structure, and language, and cultural context of six Shakespeare tragedies: Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello. We will focus on the themes of power, corruption, betrayal, revenge, despair, and madness, among others. We will also spend considerable time discussing representations of gender, race, and old age in Shakespeare. Additionally, we will screen and discuss several 20th-century and contemporary films based on individual plays, actively considering the choices film directors have made in their interpretations of the texts. Students should expect to write two critical essays, take multiple in-class reading quizzes, memorize and recite passages from the plays, and participate actively and vocally in class conversations.
Learning Outcomes
- Through this course, students will develop:
1) A familiarity with some of Shakespeare's tragedy, an understanding of his treatment of some common themes across texts, and an appreciation for his rhetorical and linguistic decisions.
2) The ability to read a work of literature closely, even (or especially) when the language and figuration are difficult and/or unfamiliar;
3) The ability to think, speak, and write critically about Shakespeare's work, both as dramatic literature on the page and as a text for contemporary performance.