ENGL 230-02, Shakespeare's Major Plays, Spring 2008

Abstract

A participation-based course on Shakespeare’s works, with special attention to the problem of genre, as well as some reflection 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 II), middle (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV, Macbeth) and later periods (Henry V, King Lear, Tempest), concluding with the generically mixed Cymbeline. 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 meanings of individual words to the continued influence of his works today. Final projects require considerable scholarly research. The course is designed to give you extensive practice in reading Shakespearean drama critically, and preparation for enjoying Shakespeare throughout your life.