Course Outline for English 20 Studies in Shakespeare
Effective: Fall 2022 SLO Rev: 10/05/2021
Catalog Description:
ENGL 20 - Studies in Shakespeare
3.00 Units
Readings of the sonnets and representative comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances of William Shakespeare, with attention to the early, middle and late phases of his art and to the historical time period in which he lived. Consideration of recurring themes in his works, along with the political and cultural contexts that shaped these ideas and attitudes. Examination of Shakespeare’s global legacy and diverse adaptations of his plays.
1501.00 - English
Optional
Type
Units
Inside of Class Hours
Outside of Class Hours
Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture
3.00
54.00
108.00
162.00
Total
3.00
54.00
108.00
162.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
recognize differences in approach, style, and technique in Shakespeare's early, middle and late plays;
demonstrate understanding of defining formal and thematic elements of Shakespearean comedies, histories, tragedies and romances and distinguish their differences;
demonstrate understanding of and be able to read and interpret Shakespearean blank verse;
demonstrate understanding of and analyze the plays in performance, with reference to traditional and modern (stage and/or film) adaptations;
analyze Shakespeare's plays in the context of the Elizabethan view of the world;
identify patterns in Shakespeare's work in poetry and drama.
Course Content:
Representative sample of Shakespeare's histories, tragedies, comedies and romances, covering the early, middle and late phases of his career
at least one history
at least one tragedy
at least one comedy
at least one romance
Selected sonnets by Shakespeare; their context and influence
Shakespeare's sonnets, with attention to his innovations in the form
precursors to the Shakespearean sonnet
modern adaptations of the Shakespearean sonnet
Shakespeare's biography and legacy
biography
controversies about authorship
preservation of his works, the First Folio, and lost works
his works' endurance and continued relevance
Theatrical conventions of Shakespeare's time
male performers
traveling theatrical troupes
The Globe and other theaters, layout and sets
playing for audiences of aristocrats and/or commoners
presentational acting style
the use of soliloquys and asides
The historical, political, and socio-cultural contexts of the Elizabethan world out of which Shakespeare's works emerged
The rise of the Tudors and the Protestant Reformation
Elizabeth's reign as female monarch
Elizabeth's advocacy of the arts; the English Renaissance and its Continental influences
The growing English merchant class; increasing social mobility and literacy
European colonialism, contact with and increasing subjugation of other peoples, and the advent of the slave trade
Elizabethan-era beliefs about gender, race, sexuality, and class, and how they compare/contrast to those of our time
Traditional and modern stage and/or film adaptations, with attention to diversity and inclusivity in production and casting
Shakespeare through the ages: how his plays have been interpreted and performed at different times
Shakespeare around the world: how his plays have been interpreted and performed globally, by diverse performers and for diverse audiences
Traditional performances of Shakespeare's plays
Innovative and inclusive adaptations of Shakespeare's plays
Methods of Instruction:
Group work
Lecture/Discussion
Distance Education
Multimedia
Student readings and presentations
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
Short essay assignment (2-3 pages): Write a line by line explication and interpretation of Shakespeare's Sonnet 29, "When in Disgrace with Fortune and Men's Eyes."
Essay assignment (4-5 pages): Character analysis. Choose one of the major characters in The Tempest and analyze their significance in relation to the play's major themes. Why are they here? Do they serve as a foil for another character? Does this character reinforce and/or challenge beliefs and assumptions of Shakespeare's time around race, class, gender, sexuality, age, and/or ability?
30-minute in-class group performance, explication, and analysis of a scene of your choice from Hamlet, making the case that this particular scene holds the key to understanding the play's core themes.
Quizzes
Oral Presentation
Exams/Tests
Class Participation
Essay Exams
Group Projects
Class Performance
Homework
Journals
Research Projects
Papers
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
analyze Shakespeare's works in relation to their historical and cultural context, with attention to identifying unstated premises and hidden assumptions as well as overt themes and messages;
demonstrate knowledge of the structures of the works studied and analyze them in terms of such literary components as plot, character, tone, style and figurative uses of language;
demonstrate understanding of the particular contributions of Shakespeare to literature in English, as well as his works' diverse resonances in contemporary culture.
Textbooks (Typical):
Shakespeare, William (2018). Richard III ( ). Folger Library Editions.
Shakespeare, William (2018). Much Ado About Nothing Folger Library Editions.
Shakespeare, William (2018). Macbeth Folger Library Editions.
Shakespeare, William (2018). The Tempest Folger Library Editions.
Shakespeare, William (2018). Hamlet Folger Library Editions.
Thompson, Ayanna (2021). The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare and Race Cambridge University Press.
Bryson, Bill (2016). Shakespeare: The World as Stage Harper Perennial.
Smith, Emma (2021). This is Shakespeare Vintage.
Video adaptations such as:
Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh) 1996;
The Taming of the Shrew (Zefirelli) 1967;
The Tempest (Helen Mirren) 2010;
Much Ado about Nothing (The African American Shakespeare Company) 2014
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Readings of the sonnets and representative comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances of William Shakespeare, with attention to the early, middle and late phases of his art and to the historical time period in which he lived.