ENG 130 CC: SHAKESPEARE THEN AND NOW
CC: SHAKESPEARE THEN AND NOW
What does it mean to read, perform, or film a play by Shakespeare now? What did it mean in his own time? In this course, we will explore techniques to unlock the language of the plays and poems; build on those skills by investigating the cultural context of Shakespeare's world; and trace the plays forward into our own culture. By doing so, we will gain a better understanding of Shakespeare’s plays, as well as a better understanding of their place in our world. Structured around several major works by Shakespeare (which may include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and selections from the Sonnets), the course may explore such topics as urban playgoing in Shakespeare's London, food culture in Renaissance England, music and other entertainment, Renaissance technology, and Renaissance medicine. Fast-forwarding to our own time, we will consider how Shakespeare's works shape and are shaped by our own culture in film, theater, poetry, and popular culture. We will also consider the dual impulse to enshrine Shakespeare as the emblem of "high" culture and to cut him down to size.
Notes
This course is initially open to first-year and sophomore students. It will be open to all students after first-year students have pre-registered.
Registration Restrictions
Open to First-Years and Sophomores
Enrollment Limit
Enrollment limited to 28 students.
Attributes
CC, MOIB