gb - Englisches Seminar - Ruhr-Universität Bochum

ENGLISCHE LITERATUR BIS 1700
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Vorlesung
050 624 Weidle
Introduction to Shakespeare’s Tragedies, 2/2,5 CP
2 st. do 10-12 HGB 20
The lecture will give a short overview of Shakespeare’s tragedies: the early Titus
Andronicus and Romeo and Juliet, the ‘Roman’ plays Julius Caesar, Antony and
Cleopatra and Coriolanus, and the so-called ‘great four’ Hamlet, Othello, King Lear
and Macbeth, plus the ‘afterthought’ Timon of Athens (Coleridge). Questions of
genre, ideology, cosmologies, dramaturgy and staging will be addressed as well as
the main themes and issues that are negotiated in the plays. Although the plot of
each play will be briefly summarized at the beginning of each lecture a general
familiarity with at least some of the plays is expected.
The Powerpoint Presentations will be made available on blackboard. There is no
need to purchase a course book. Nevertheless, for those who are interested in
preparing or reading up on the course I recommend the following titles:
Dickson, Andrew. The Rough Guide to Shakespeare. London: Rough Guides,
2009.
Schabert, Ina, ed. Shakespeare-Handbuch. Die Zeit, der Mensch, das Werk,
die Nachwelt. Stuttgart: Kröner, 2010.
Assessment/requirements: regular attendance; written end-of-term test.