Introduction to Shakespeare
Englit 580
MWF 10-10:50, Room CL 208A
Spring 2010
Daniel Wollenberg
Office: CL 617U Mailbox: CL 501
Office Hours: MW 12-1 & by appt.
english580@gmail.com
But these are all lies. Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.
-- Rosalind, As You Like It, (4.1.91-2)
Course Description and Objectives
From CourseWeb: “This course will focus on a number of Shakespeare’s major plays from
all phases of his career. Class discussion will consider the historical context of his plays, their
characterization, theatrical technique, imagery, language, and themes. Every attempt will be
made to see the plays both as poems and as dramatic events.”
This course has a specific theme: Love and Community.
We will approach the problem of love in Shakespeare’s work by closely examining the
language, structure, and contexts of his dramatic and poetic work. There are so many types
of love in the work of Shakespeare: filial love, jealous love, romantic love, marital love,
homoerotic love, altruistic love, love of ideals (honor, justice, love of love itself), to name
some of the more prominent types. Love in his great tragedies (Othello, King Lear, Hamlet,
Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra) is a very different thing from love in his comedies; tragic love
has weightier, often fatal consequences, and comedic love often considers, questions, and
even flouts concerns over what is and is not acceptable in the social milieu, the culture, in
which the plays take place. While love in Shakespeare is commonly associated with his
comedies (and with Romeo and Juliet of course, essentially a comedy with a tragic ending), we
will see that Shakespeare approaches love from very different angles in his tragedies. We will
examine how characters’ thoughts about the nature of love, as well as characters’ actual
feelings of love towards others, reveals much about characters’ roles in the larger
community, whether that community is one bounded by socio-economic factors, or by
elements of race, religion, gender, or politics, or some combination of these.
Rather than coming to a narrow, general conclusion about Shakespeare’s “view” of love (i.e.,
“Shakespeare always presents love as a good thing”), I hope to observe Shakespeare’s
dramatic art as the very complex, difficult art that it is – and it certainly is complex and
difficult, requiring meticulous, careful, slow reading of the five plays and the sonnets we will
examine this term. This course is designed to reward those students who give the plays the
multiple, attentive readings they deserve.
I certainly invite you to interpret the problem of love in any number of ways. Of course, for
any of the plays, we can go in any number of directions that the class is interested in. I
suggest “Love” as a “home plate” to always return to, and to bring our analyses together to
form a kind of directed approach to the texts.
This introduction to Shakespeare’s work will focus on five plays and a selection of sonnets.
The plays will be read more or less in chronological order – or, rather, what is today
generally accepted as the chronological order of their production. This will be for
organization’s sake and, more importantly, to attempt to trace Shakespeare’s development as
an artist. We will look at a selection of Sonnets, three comedies (A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing), one tragedy (Othello) and one romance (The
Winter’s Tale). You will be asked to take up the various roles of literary critic, dramatist,
producer, and historian, in order to interpret and appraise the texts and to situate them
within a wider cultural landscape.
Please note that these plays are likely the plays we will read; as the semester progresses, we
may change plays depending on the class’ interests. If we are low on time, I may cut a play.
Texts
The only required text for the course is The Norton Shakespeare. If you would like to use other
versions of the works, that’s fine, but it is essential to get a copy with good liner notes and
glossing. Decent explanatory notes are crucial for critically evaluating the texts. Also of great
help will be the Introduction before each play in the Norton.
Bring your book to class every day, and use it throughout the class period. It is not
possible to participate in class discussion in any meaningful way without the play we
are reading in front of you.
In addition to the plays/poems, there will be some readings I will provide either online or as
a handout; in these cases, print out the reading and bring it to class.
We will be watching films and theatrical performances throughout the semester, often on
Fridays. All films/videos will be available for on-site viewing in the Hillman Library A-V
department or online. If you need any assistance locating the A-V department in Hillman, I
can help.
Resources
Folger Shakespeare Library
Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet
The Globe Theatre
Shakespeare Online
Shakespeare Searched
Shakespearean Insulter
www.folger.edu
shakespeare.palomar.edu
www.shakespeares-globe.org/
www.shakespeare-online.com/
shakespeare.clusty.com/
www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html
Class Format and Requirements
A primary objective of our class is to foster your critical reading and thinking skills.
Therefore we will center primarily on discussions of the assigned texts. It is your responsibility
to come to class prepared with questions and problems within the readings. I will lecture from time to
time in order to provide historical background or grounding of the texts and authors being
read. Otherwise, my central task will be to frame and direct class discussion. I will confer
no “final meaning” or officially “correct” answers to problems posed. Rather, we will strive
to create an intellectually stimulating discussion-based environment together, offering an
open forum for the exchange of ideas, hypotheses, arguments, questions, problems, and
concerns.
Our primary reading will be supplemented by the introductions in the Norton editions of the
plays, which include critical readings of the plays, historical contexts, documents that will
help critically situate Shakespeare both in his own time and in subsequent eras, and various
other items that will undoubtedly prove useful to you throughout the term.
You are required to attend every class. Attend punctually and participate often. I do not
distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. You are permitted to miss five
classes; missing more than five classes will be grounds for failure. Not participating in class
will also adversely affect your grade.
No cellphone may be used during class. Please turn your ringers off.
Wiki
This class will have a wiki:
http://englit580.wikispaces.com
This is a chance for you to say whatever’s on your mind (within reason, of course) about our
readings: observations, confusion, problems, delight, and so on. It’s very informal. Before
the next class, go to the website above and set up your username in the format of
YourName (ie, DanielWollenberg). Then request to follow the above URL.
Students who contribute regularly will see their final grade improved. It goes without saying
that any comments posted on the wiki that are hurtful or offensive to others will be
removed, and any repeated offense will potentially result in my asking you to withdraw from
the course.
Assignments
1) Five quizzes. These will be based on the readings and class discussions to make sure
everyone is keeping up. If you’ve carefully read each of the plays, you should ace these.
2) 5-7 page paper, which will be revised at the end of the term.
3) A comprehensive Final Exam.
Grading
Reading quizzes: 15%
Participation, Attendance, wiki contribution: 15%
Final Exam: 30%
5-7 page paper: 40%
Disability
“If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are
encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and
Services, 216 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7890/412-283-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in
the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this
course.” (per Resolution, University Faculty Assembly, April 2001)
Writing Center
The Writing Center, located in Thaw Hall M-2, is a resource that provides students with
additional help in writing and resolving their work. Consultants will work with you
individually on particular issues or difficulties you might be having with your writing, though
you should not expect them to correct or revise your work for you. The services of the
Writing Center are free. Check ahead for time availability. I may specifically ask you to visit
the Center if I feel it necessary.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism - to steal and pass off as one's own; use without crediting the source; to commit
literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source
(Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary)
If you are drawing on or quoting the work of others in any way, you must acknowledge that
you are doing so. Whenever you make use of written or online texts, you will need to cite
your sources following the MLA parenthetical documentation style. Please consult a writing
handbook (such as the Little, Brown Handbook) for proper citation guidelines. In some
cases, you may choose simply to write a note of acknowledgement at the end of your paper
to mention people who have helped you along. Should you require any clarifications about
what constituted plagiarism, please be sure to speak with me. I will strictly enforce the
university’s policy of plagiarism; if you are caught plagiarizing, you will fail the course at the
very least. Further action could be taken.
I will run all written work through online anti-cheating software. If you plagiarize, you will
get caught. It’s not worth it.
Reading Schedule
W Jan 6: Introduction to the course.
F Jan 8: Student introductions; Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130
M Jan 11: Sonnets 46, 57, 116, 138 (we will read more sonnets throughout the term)
W Jan 13: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1
F Jan 15: MSND, Act 2
M Jan 18: No class: MLK, Jr. Day
W Jan 20: MSND, Act 3
F Jan 22: MSND, Act 4
M Jan 25: MSND, Act 5; QUIZ 1
W Jan 27: MSND
F Jan 29: Film excerpts (TBD)
M Feb 1: The Merchant of Venice, Act 1
W Feb 3: MoV, Act 2
F Feb 5: MoV, Act 3
M Feb 8: MoV, Act 4
W Feb 10: MoV, Act 5; QUIZ 2
F Feb 12: MoV
M Feb 15: MoV
W Feb 17: Film Excerpts (TBD)
F Feb 19: Much Ado About Nothing, Act 1
M Feb 22: MA, Act 2
W Feb 24: MA, Act 3
F Feb 26: MA, Act 4
M Mar 1: MA, Act 5; QUIZ 3
W Mar 3: MA
F Mar 5: MA; 5-PAGE PAPER DUE
M Mar 8: Spring Break
W Mar 10: SB
F Mar 12: SB
M Mar 15: Othello, Act 1
W Mar 17: Oth, Act 2
F Mar 19: Oth, Act 3
M Mar 22: Oth, Act 4
W Mar 24: Oth, Act 5; QUIZ 4
F Mar 26: Film Excerpts (TBD)
M Mar 29: Oth
W Mar 31: Oth
F Apr 2: The Winter’s Tale, Act 1
M Apr 5: WT, Act 2
W Apr 7: WT, Act 3
F Apr 9: Class Cancelled
M Apr 12: WT, Act 4
W Apr 14: WT, Act 5; QUIZ 5
F Apr 16: Film Excerpts TBD
M Apr 19: Conclusions; 5-PAGE REVISED PAPER DUE
W Apr 21: Final Exam review
F Apr 23: Class tentatively cancelled (to give you extended reading time for the final
exam period)