Hay una sesión disponible:
Shakespeare's Hamlet: The Ghost
Sobre este curso
Omitir Sobre este cursoIn the first act of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet , the Ghost of the dead King of Denmark appears to his son, setting off a chain of events that culminates in the play’s notoriously bloody finale. But how would this mysterious figure have been understood in Shakespeare’s time?
Harvard professor Stephen Greenblatt guides learners through an exploration of the Ghost’s uncanny theatrical power and the historical contexts from which the character emerged. You will be introduced to the narrative sources of Hamlet, the religious convictions that shaped how Renaissance England understood the afterlife, and how the Ghost would have thrilled and challenged its original audience. By focusing on the Ghost, you will see how the play grapples with issues like death, mourning, remembrance, and the power of theatre.
Through short video lectures, readings from the play as well as later works by Coleridge and Joyce, and conversations with experts, you will develop critical tools with which to "unlock" the play's possible meanings.
If you're reading Hamlet for the first time, this course is a great introduction. If you're reading it for the hundredth time, it is the perfect chance to revisit and refresh your "take" on Shakespeare's greatest tragedy.
De un vistazo
- Institution HarvardX
- Subject Humanidades
- Level Introductory
- Prerequisites
None
- Language English
- Video Transcript English
- Associated programs
- XSeries en Shakespeare's Life, Work, and Characters
Lo que aprenderás
Omitir Lo que aprenderás- The many meanings of Hamlet revealed through the central figure: the Ghost of Hamlet’s murdered father.
- The historical context that shaped how Shakespeare wrote the play and how his audiences interpreted it.
- How to challenge the assumption that the play is only about revenge.
- The importance of themes like remembrance, death, and mourning.
- How the Ghost has been interpreted on stage, on screen, and in writing.
Plan de estudios
Omitir Plan de estudiosPart 1: Spirit? Apparition? Illusion?
In Part 1, we read Acts 1-2, analyzing how Shakespeare introduces the mysterious figure of the Ghost and builds up to Hamlet's encounter with it.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Examine how Shakespeare sets the stage for Hamlet through the Ghost's dramatic appearance in the opening of the play
- Situate the Ghost in the play's broader themes, motifs, and patterns of language
- Discuss how Shakespeare builds on source materials, the work of other playwrights, and his own earlier plays in creating Hamlet
- Assess different interpretations of what the Ghost "is," as well as how these interpretations are borne out in performance
Part 2: Imagining the Afterlife
In Part 2, we continue our reading with Acts 3-4 and look closely at the religious controversies following the Protestant Reformation.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Interpret Hamlet in the context of the English Reformation, evaluating its complicated legacy on institutional practices and individual beliefs
- Examine the religious controversy of Purgatory during Shakespeare’s time as well as its significance for the Ghost and Hamlet
- Discuss the relationship between rituals such as prayer, last rites, communion, and the purchase of indulgences with the theater
- Apply historical and anthropological methods to Hamlet, considering what it says about death in its own time and throughout time
Part 3: The Theater of Mourning
As we finish reading the play, we weigh the idea that the play is "about" revenge with the idea that it is "about" remembrance.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Use primary source documents to understand ideas of death and mourning in the early modern period
- Discuss how Shakespeare built upon the theatricality of mourning rituals to make Hamlet meaningful for its first audiences
- Weigh the emphasis on revenge in the play with that on remembrance, which resonates with religious belief and practice
- Assess different viewpoints on how Hamlet is universal and particular, depending on the context
**Part 4: TheTexts of _Hamlet
_ In Part 4, we turn to the earliest printed texts of the play, situating them in a broader understanding of early modern print and manuscript production. _
_**By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Use primary documents to understand the mechanics of early modern print and manuscript culture
- Analyze how different early texts of Hamlet shape how we understand and interpret the play
- Connect Hamlet 's meditations on death and remembrance to the "life" of the play itself
- Consider Hamlet 's impact on other texts through the examples of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Dogg's Hamlet
Preguntas frecuentes
Omitir Preguntas frecuentesHow is the honor code upheld?
HarvardX requires individuals who enroll in its courses on edX to abide by the terms of the edX honor code. HarvardX will take appropriate corrective action in response to violations of the edX honor code, which may include dismissal from the HarvardX course; revocation of any certificates received for the HarvardX course; or other remedies as circumstances warrant. No refunds will be issued in the case of corrective action for such violations. Enrollees who are taking HarvardX courses as part of another program will also be governed by the academic policies of those programs.
How does my participation contribute to research?
By registering as an online learner in our open online courses, you are also participating in research intended to enhance HarvardX's instructional offerings as well as the quality of learning and related sciences worldwide. In the interest of research, you may be exposed to some variations in the course materials. HarvardX does not use learner data for any purpose beyond the University's stated missions of education and research. For purposes of research, we may share information we collect from online learning activities, including Personally Identifiable Information, with researchers beyond Harvard. However, your Personally Identifiable Information will only be shared as permitted by applicable law, will be limited to what is necessary to perform the research, and will be subject to an agreement to protect the data. We may also share with the public or third parties aggregated information that does not personally identify you. Similarly, any research findings will be reported at the aggregate level and will not expose your personal identity.
Please read the edX Privacy Policy for more information regarding the processing, transmission, and use of data collected through the edX platform.
How are non-discrimination and anti-harassment supported?
Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact harvardx@harvard.edu and/or report your experience through the edX contact form.
Este curso es parte del programa Shakespeare's Life, Work, and Characters XSeries
Más informaciónVerified Track | Audit Track | |
---|---|---|
Costo | 149 US$ | Free |
Acceso a los materiales del curso | Ilimitado | Limitado Caduca el 27 sept |
World class institutions and universities | ||
Asistencia de edX | ||
Certificado para compartir al finalizar | ||
Tareas con calificación y exámenes |