ENGL 304 - Shakespeare

Institution:
University of Richmond
Subject:
Description:
Selected plays by Shakespeare grouped according to genre. The course will alternate between investigating the histories and tragedies and the comedies and romances. Prerequisite(s): English 297 or 298 with a grade of C or better. Unit(s): 1 Additional Information: In this course we read a selection from Shakespeare's plays, organized according to their genre. The primary goal is to achieve an in-depth knowledge of these works through close reading and structural analysis. While investigating the specific concerns articulated in each of these plays, we pay particular attention to Shakespeare's use of generic conventions to create his meanings. This requires us to investigate various approaches to the nature and function of comedy and of tragedy. What are some of the recurring characteristics of these genres, and how have they been approached from the perspectives of literary history, of anthropology, of philosophy, of cultural materialism, and of gender studies As we become familiar with some of the major concerns linked to particular genres, and with some of the principal characteristics of generic conventions, it becomes easier to understand how Shakespeare appropriates and manipulates those conventions for his own purposes. In particular, we trace his tendency to combine genres within his works, particularly in the histories and romances. By focusing on questions of genre, we are also able to trace some of the principal thematic connections among the plays. In what ways, for example, is The Merchant of Venice tragic, or Othello comedic How does Shakespeare's presentation and/or understanding of love, theatricality, virtue, or history - to name just a few concepts - seem to develop as he moves from the comedies to the tragedies to the romances Throughout, we are concerned with the plays' cultural and historical contexts. How do Shakespeare's texts implicitly and explicitly respond to or comment upon contemporary social structures, political and religious ideologies, and cultural values and traditions Perhaps the highest achievement of the English Renaissance, and certainly the most popular at the time, is its rich dramatic tradition. In this class, therefore, we also seek for clues in Shakespeare's plays that may explain why this form of representation struck such a responsive chord in Renaissance society. We see that drama perhaps most compellingly engaged a society in which the self's relation to others and to reality was increasingly understood as dynamically flexible and uncertain rather than fixed and predictable. Drama vividly displayed the problematic relationships between fact and fiction, skepticism and idealism, politics and ideology, magic and science, which were of central concern to thinkers in the Renaissance. Finally, we also consider the question of Shakespeare's hallowed status in the literary tradition. What factors contributed to his literary "canonization" Indeed, how are judgments about aesthetic value made, and what purposes might they serve
Credits:
3.00
Credit Hours:
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Exclusions:
Level:
Instructional Type:
Lecture
Notes:
Additional Information:
Historical Version(s):
Institution Website:
Phone Number:
(804) 289-8000
Regional Accreditation:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Calendar System:
Semester

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