Introduction to Shakespeare: Schedule

We will try to stick to this plan as closely as possible, but we may get ahead or fall behind. If either situation arises, expect in-class and online announcements of schedule revisions. Develop habits, therefore, of bringing your copy of the syllabus to each class meeting and of checking this page.

Page references are to The Norton Shakespeare, unless otherwise indicated. Page references to The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare are preceded by “BC.”

Schedule

• January 18

  Introductions: we will review the syllabus and course website; we will discuss our prior experience with Shakespeare and make our first foray into early modern English pronunciation, syntax, and vocabulary.

• January 20

  Reading

  • Much Ado About Nothing (1389–1443), Acts 1–3
  • “Comedy” (BC, 81–85)

• January 23

  Reading

  • Much Ado About Nothing, Acts 1–3 (continued)
  • “‘To What End Are All These Words?’: Shakespeare’s Dramatic Language” (BC, 36–58)

• January 25

  Reading

  • Much Ado About Nothing, Acts 4–5
  • “Men and Women: Gender, Family, and Society” (BC, 253–277)

• January 27

  Reading

  • Much Ado About Nothing (concluded)

• January 30

  Reading

  • The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (2100–2172), Acts 1–3
  • “Tragedy” (BC, 85–90)
  • Giovanni Battista Girardi Cinthio, “From Gli Hecatommithi” (BC, 169–170)

• February 1

  Reading

  • Othello, Acts 1–3 (continued)
  • Baldassare Castiglione, “From The Book of the Courtier” (BC, 73–76)

• February 3

  Reading

  • Othello, Acts 4–5
  • Queen Elizabeth I, “Edict Arranging for the Expulsion from England of Negroes and Blackamoors” (BC, 302)

• February 6

  Reading

  • Othello (concluded)
  • Thomas Rymer, “From A Short View of Tragedy” (BC, 108)

• February 8

  Reading

  • The Tragedy of Richard the Third (515–596), Act 1
  • “History” (BC, 90–94)
  • Edward Hall, “From The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancaster and York” (BC, 163–164)

• February 10

  Reading

  • Richard III, Act 2

• February 13

  Reading

  • Richard III, Acts 3–4
  • Niccolò Machiavelli, “From The Prince” (BC, 334–336)

• February 15

  Reading

  • Richard III, Act 5

• February 17

  Reading

  • The Tragedy of Macbeth (2564–2616), Act 1

• February 20

  Reading

  • Macbeth, Acts 2–4
  • Andrew Gurr, “The Shakespearean Stage” (3281–3301)

• February 22

  Reading

  • Macbeth, Act 5

• February 24

  Reading

  • Macbeth (concluded)

• February 27

  Reading

  • Sonnets 121, 130, and 132

• March 1

  Reading

  • Sonnets 12, 64, and 81

• March 3

  Midterm Exam: 8:15 a.m. to 9:05 a.m., in the classroom.

  It’s the midterm exam! Remember to check the study guide as a point of reference. All material, including the assigned sonnets, is fair game.

• March 6

  Spring break: no class until Monday, March 13.

• March 13

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (814–60), Acts 1–3
  • “‘I Loved My Books’: Shakespeare’s Reading” (BC, 145–62)

• March 15

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Acts 1–3 (continued)
  • Ovid, “From Metamorphoses,” trans. Arthur Golding (BC, 190–192)

• March 17

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Acts 4–5

• March 20

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (continued)

• March 22

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (continued)
  • “‘I Loved My Books’: Shakespeare’s Reading” (BC, 145–62)

• March 24

  Reading

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (concluded)
  • Ovid, “From Metamorphoses,” trans. Arthur Golding (BC, 190–192)

• March 27

  Reading

  • Titus Andronicus, Acts 1–2

• March 29

  Reading

  • Titus Andronicus, Acts 3–4

• March 31

  Reading

  • Titus Andronicus, Act 5

• April 3

  Reading

  • Titus Andronicus (concluded)
  • Sonnets 91–93

• April 4

  Titus film viewing

  7:00 – 10:00 p.m., in the classroom.

• April 5

  Reading

  • Sonnets 91–93
  • The Tragedy of King Lear (3219–2473), Acts 1–2

• April 7

  Reading

  • King Lear, Acts 3–4

• April 10

  Reading

  • King Lear, Act 5
  • Nahum Tate, “From The History of King Lear” (BC 383–385)
  • “The Church” and “The Ideology of Order” (BC, 315–321)

• April 11

  McElroy Shakespeare Celebration

  7:30 p.m., in the Mullady Theater.

• April 12

  Reading

  • Compare The Tragedy of King Lear with The History of King Lear
  • “What Is Your Text?” (BC, 194–210)

• April 14

  Easter holiday: no class until Wednesday, April 19.

• April 19

  Reading

  • The Winter’s Tale (2883–2952)
  • “Town and Country: Life in Shakespeare’s England” (BC, 219–36)

• April 21

  Reading

  • The Winter’s Tale, Act 4

• April 24

  Reading

  • The Winter’s Tale, Act 5

• April 26

  Reading

  • The Winter’s Tale (concluded)

• April 28

  Draft of essay due!

• May 1

  Reading

  • Sonnets 2, 106, 138, and 144
  • Alternate versions of sonnets 2, 106, 138, and 144 (1985–1987)

• May 3

  • Exam review
  • Course evaluations

• May 5

  No class: work on your papers and prepare for the exam!

• May 13

  Final Exam: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., in the classroom.

• May 18

  Dénouement