ENGL 225A -- Winter Quarter 2011

SHAKESPEARE (O, ho, monster: The Turbulent World and Writings of Shakespeare) Magnusson M-Th 9:30-10:20 13233

How did the son of a provincial glove-maker write a series of plays that have come to be esteemed the supreme achievement of Western Literature? What accounts for their enduring popularity on stage, screen, and in the classroom? In pursuit of the answers we will throw ourselves into some of Shakespeare’s most famous writings. We will study 2 Comedies, 2 Tragedies, 2 History Plays, (this may include Macbeth, King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and Richard III) and a handful of Sonnets. Beyond familiarizing students with the basic plotline of the dramas, the course will offer strategies for understanding and appreciating Shakespeare’s English. Class discussion will center on in-depth analysis of key passages. Lectures and supplementary readings will help situate the plays in the context of the cultural, political and religious turmoil engulfing Early Modern England. Finally, we will also view clips of several film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays to better size up the shadow his legacy casts on our culture today. In order to fulfill the University “W” requirement, students will be asked to complete ten to fifteen pages of out of class writing, with revision.

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