30.339 Shakespeare I

Shakespeare I takes a primarily historical approach to the study of Shakespeare’s plays, considering their social, political, religious, and cultural context. The course deals with difficult but illuminating questions such as, “what did Shakespeare’s plays look like when they were first performed?” and “How might Shakespeare’s original audiences have reacted to his plays?” By means of close readings, the course will examine representative Shakespearean tragedies, comedies, tragicomedies, and histories, but not duplicating any texts studied in 30/20.3xx: Shakespeare II.  Students will be able to articulate their responses to the plays through class discussions, persuasive essays, and group performances.