Course Description
Special topics related to Shakespeare.
Athena Title
Shakespeare II: Special Topics
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in ENGL 4330W
Prerequisite
Two 2000-level ENGL courses or (one 2000-level ENGL course and one 3000-level ENGL course) or (one 2000-level ENGL course and one 2000-level CMLT course)
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will read and understand Shakespeare in the context of a particular theme, idea, or phenomenon. Students will develop their critical skills by reading and rereading Shakespeare's works and commentaries upon them, and hone their writing skills by composing, editing and reviewing their own work and responding to comments from their instructor.
Topical Outline
The choice of a topic, and selection and sequence of sub- topics, will vary from instructor to instructor and semester to semester. The sub-topics will consist of selected works to be read outside class and discussed in class, and examined individually and comparatively. Some instructors will place the works in the context of the times and the circumstances of their composition; others will contextualize Shakespeare's works against a thematic or theoretical background, depending on the topic. Periodically during the semester, students will perform a number of graded tasks, including some combination of tests and out-of-class papers. A possible topic, “Shakespeare on Love,” might result in sub- topics and assignments resembling these: Coming of age--the magic of love: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest Tragic love for the young and the not-so-young: Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra Miscegenation in love: The Merchant of Venice and Othello Transgressing (or almost transgressing) other taboos: As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Pericles
Syllabus