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 hurl ourselves into some of the most famous writings to spill from his quill: 2 Comedies, 2 Tragedies, a History Play, a Late Romance and a smattering of Sonnets. Beyond familiarizing students with the basic plotline of the dramas, the course will offer strategies for understanding and savoring Shakespeare's English. Class discussion will center on in-depth analysis of key passages, while lectures and supplementary readings will help situate the plays in the context of the cultural, political, and religious turmoil engulfing Elizabethan England. The writing portion will consist of two short essays (3pp. each), and one 5-6 pp. research paper. Finally, we will also view clips of several film adaptations of Shakespeare to better size up the shadow his legacy casts on our culture today. Course website:
www.staff.washington.edu/tandrew/thebard.html

Texts:

• Greenblatt, Stephen et al. The Norton Shakespeare. Norton. [0-393-97087-6]
• McDonald, Russ. The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare. Bedford St. Martins, Optional. [0-312-24880-6]
• Crowl, Samuel. Shakespeare and Film: A Norton Guide. Norton, Optional. [9780393927658]