Biography

“Reputation, Reputation, Reputation!” Shakespeare has many reputations: the world’s greatest dramatist; lovelorn poet; deeeeeep thinker; weirdly astute businessman; sick wordsmith. You probably know him best for his tragedies (like, ahem, Othello), but he’s also one of the best comic writers in English. This year’s course will focus on the Bard’s early- and middle-period works, especially his comedies: for instance, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, or As You Like It. Reading these plays, we’ll watch how the son of a glove-maker turned himself into the playwright who could write Hamlet. We’ll end with that, his most ground-breaking work, and the recent award-winning film, Hamnet (2025). Our focus throughout the semester will be on both the ways in which Shakespeare’s work responded to his world and how others have adapted his works to respond to theirs. Assignments will include Director’s Notes, Presentations and a Final Creative Project on a play of your choice.