How do we read Shakespeare? Do his plays belong to the past, or the present? To a famed dramatic genius or to readers and audiences around the globe? What do his plays really mean?

Moving between the world in which Shakespeare lived and the present day, this course will introduce different kinds of literary analysis that you can use when reading Shakespeare. With short videos filmed on location in England and readings covering topics like Shakespeare's contemporaries and the politics of modern performance, you will learn a range of critical tool that you can use to unlock the meaning and relevance of Shakespeare’s plays.

Join us as we visit Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born in 1564; London, the lively city where he began as an actor; and the Globe Theater, where his first plays were performed. This journey through Shakespeare’s life will transport you to another era and will give you a new perspective on his timeless work.

What you'll learn:

• The cultural significance of Shakespeare's plays and their performance

• How Shakespeare’s work was considered in his own time and in the present, in his own country and around the world

• Different approaches to textual interpretation

• How to consider authorial intention, historical context, and present relevance

• How to analyze Shakespeare's plays on the page and in performance

• Foundational knowledge on Shakespeare that can be applied to his specific works

Join renowned scholar and best-selling author, Stephen Greenblatt, Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, for this contextual introduction to the author many consider to be the greatest writer who ever lived. Revolving enrollment. Please enroll HERE.