Class Overview
The works of Shakespeare possess a lasting appeal that seems akin to magic. In fact, modern literature studies in the US often begin with Shakespeare. How and why do the plays and sonnets of this writer have such power?
In this class, explore Shakespeare, not just by studying individual works, but by examining the times, the author, and, most importantly, the literary tools and techniques this wizard used. Consider the fascinating “how” and “why” of the construction of the plays, their patterns, and popularity. We will discuss the rise of England's importance during this Golden Age, and the increasing power of the English language and culture in world trade, religion, and politics.
Enjoy trying your hand at iambic pentameter (the great building block of Shakespearean language) and do a bit of staging to understand how the physical aspects of Elizabethan theater venues influenced the writing of the plays.
Learn about the community surrounding Shakespeare: actors he knew and lived with, the audience he drank with and jostled within the crowded smelly dangerous streets of London, and the Queen. The instructor, a trained actor, will demonstrate speeches to highlight concepts.
Discover how to search for, and use, the clues that Shakespeare put into the script to help guide his players into a storytelling style that would fuel adoration in the crowds. The plays reveal his “directions” to casts.
Learning Objectives
- the process of how a play gets put together
- the many influences that went into the making of Shakespeare’s plays: politics, and religion. the Ottoman Empire, Commedia del Arte, iambic pentameter, Shakespeare's competition and collaborators
- how Shakespeare's 400-year-old works still influence modern culture
- How plastic Shakespeare’s plays are; there is not just one interpretation.
- The variety of presentation, from solo, to small cast, dance, and opera, etc.
Who Might Enjoy This Class?
- Anyone interested in theater, literature, or Shakespeare
- Fans of the Renaissance era
- Actors and performers
- Social scientists and historians
- Come one, come all; everyone is welcome!