ENGL 230-02, Shakespeare's Major Plays, Fall 2007

Abstract

A discussion-based seminar on Shakespeare’s works, with special attention to the problem of genre, as well as some reflections on what counts as “major.” We begin by closely reading and memorizing selected sonnets. We then examine representative “Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies” from his earlier (Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of Errors, Richard III), middle (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV, Hamlet) and later periods (Henry V, Macbeth, Tempest), concluding with the generically mixed All is True. While we will concentrate our efforts primarily on the texts of the plays, along the way we will be exploring the greater ‘context’ of Shakespeare, from the sixteenth-century meaning of individual words to the continued impact of his works today. The course is designed to give you extensive practice in reading Shakespearean drama critically, and preparation for enjoying Shakespeare throughout your life.