English 43 - Spring, 2024

Topic: Introduction to Shakespeare

Class Information

Instructor: Dolan, Frances
CRN: 56842
Time: MWF 11:00-11:50am
Location: Wellman 5

Description

This class is an introduction to Shakespeare as a cultural phenomenon, an historical person, a body of work, and an inspiration to hone our skills at reading literature carefully and discussing it passionately. We will read five plays, which I have selected because their language and plots are reasonably accessible yet the issues they tackle remain engrossing today (sexuality, desire, identity, and love, revenge, political upheaval and assassination, witchcraft, love magic, domestic violence, and murder) and they conjure up gorgeous language, weird people, and riveting scenes. Lectures will draw on a wide range of resources to help students understand the plays and how they engage with the world, both in Shakespeare?s time and in our own. In the course of the quarter, students will sharpen their skills as critical, enthusiastic readers and effective writers. Since this class is reasonably small, you can expect opportunities for discussion.

I have ordered cheap paperback editions of the plays. I encourage you to get physical copies of the plays and bring them to class. If you have or can get different physical editions than those assigned, that's fine.

Grading

Grading: 1st paper (15%); class attendance and participation (10%); paper preparation and pre-writing for 2nd paper (10%); 2nd paper (25%); quizzes and in class writing (20%); final exam (20%).

Texts

Macbeth, Shakespeare
Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare
Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare
Richard II, Shakespeare
Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare