About the Course

     The over 250 Shakespeare movies produced prove that Shakespeare films adaptations and movies retain their enduring appeal.  But why?  What makes Shakespeare’s prose so timeless?  Is it his words or just his plot lines?

     In this course, we will first be looking at Shakespeare’s plays in the original format and explore how they were creations of their own time.  We will then be looking at one or more film versions of the play and explore how the director adapts the source materials so that they become a product of the director’s own time.  Things we will be looking at are contemporary critical standards (Shakespeare’s and later film directors), political/social commentary, stereotypes, stagecraft vs. film conventions. Questions to explore: To what extent are the “original” theatrical conditions respected in film adaptations of the works? How are the differences between the media of film, stage, and printed page registered in various film adaptations? How are matters such as historical authenticity, diction, and set design treated, and for what purposes?

 

Objectives:

By the end of the course, Student should be able:

1.  to read and interpret Shakespeare's language in order to make sense of the larger issues in his plays;

2.  recognize something of the dramatic, historical, literary, and cultural contexts in which he wrote.

　

Requirements:
Answers to questions through term: 50%
Midterm: 25%
Final: 25%

     

Class Participation:

I will be giving leading questions about the works and all students must participate on the EngSite discussion boards. 

 

Texts:

Romeo and Juliet

Richard III
　

　

You can use the Riverside Shakespeare if you have it, individual copies of the plays, or you can use the e-texts made available through MIT.  You can find them at http://shea.mit.edu/.

　

Films are available through EngSite.

　

Check EngSite weekly for supplemental readings!