Shakespeare Then &Now

Teacher(s)

De Bruyn Ben;

Language

English

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Students having completed all course requirements - will have an advanced understanding of the multiple connections between language, dialect, nation and other social structures, as well as of the ways in which such links are represented in a range of English literary texts (including their translations or film adaptations) ; - will master the terminology and the concepts - borrowed mainly from narratology, translation studies, sociolinguistics and postcolonial studies - needed for a critical discussion of the above-mentioned phenomena ; - will have deepened their analytical skills as well as their understanding of the history of the various Anglophone literatures in a world that is increasingly characterised by mobility, globalisation and interculturality counterbalancing the forces of nationalist ideologies ; - will also have honed their linguistic skills. Students must be able to formulate their analyses in adequate English, showing a degree of proficiency that is worthy of a Master's degree.

Content

This course explores the world-renowned work of William Shakespeare in three interconnected steps. The first part offers a panoramic overview of Shakespeare’s plays and discusses broader themes such as race, gender, and ecology with the help of recent methodological insights and short analyses of works such as Othello, Pericles, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Afterwards, we will read and discuss two famous plays by Shakespeare in more detail (f.ex. King Lear and The Tempest). As a final step, Shakespeare’s early modern texts and concerns will be confronted with a contemporary novel that explicitly responds to his plays (f.ex. Station Eleven or Hamnet).

Teaching methods

Lectures

Evaluation methods

A written exam in which students have to show that they have studied the course materials, read the relevant texts, and are able to analyze and contextualize literary fragments in adequate English.

Online resources

Moodle

Faculty or entity

> ELAL