Department of English

Shakespeare has become a cultural icon with significant capital over the past two centuries not only in the so-called West but also on a global scale. This seminar will examine Shakespeare not as a static literary figure but as a dynamic and contested presence in global culture. It will explore Shakespeare’s plays as well as their global reach in relation to critical issues of the twenty-first century, asking what it means to read, study, perform, and appropriate Shakespeare today. How does Shakespeare speak to our contemporary concerns? What versions of Shakespeare are available to us, and how do different interpretative approaches shape our understanding of his works? By engaging with recent critical perspectives on gender, sexuality, race, religion, class, and the environment in Shakespeare studies, this seminar will examine Shakespeare’s continued relevance in a rapidly changing world.

Course requirements will include close reading of plays, active participation, presentations, short essays and a final critical analysis paper.