There is one session available:
Shakespeare's Life and Work
About this course
Skip About this courseHow 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 tools 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.
At a glance
- Institution: HarvardX
- Subject: Humanities
- Level: Introductory
- Prerequisites: None
- Language: English
- Video Transcript: English
- Associated programs:
- XSeries in Shakespeare's Life, Work, and Characters
- Associated skills:Literary Studies
What you'll learn
Skip 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
Syllabus
Skip SyllabusPart 1: Biographical Interpretation
In this unit, we'll learn more about Shakespeare's life and think about the interpretive possibilities that open up when we read with the author in mind.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Describe Shakespeare's childhood, education, and family life, determining how the facts of his life might have informed his playwriting.
- Evaluate different viewpoints on the "author problem," which relates to how relevant the author and his/her intentions are to interpreting a text.
- Generate an original interpretation of The Comedy of Errors that relates to Shakespeare's life and/or intentions.
Part 2: Historical Interpretation
In this unit, we’ll focus on historical interpretation by placing Shakespeare’s texts in their historical context.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Describe Shakespeare's unlikely entry to the theater world, as well as the facts of London, the Bankside, and the increasingly professionalized theater industry.
- Assess the viewpoint that Shakespeare's plays are embedded in their time and so require historical analysis to unlock what they "mean".
- Analyze a Shakespeare play or passage through knowledge of historical context.
Part 3: Presentist Interpretation
In this unit, we’ll cover presentist interpretation--what can we reveal about Shakespeare’s plays by placing them in a modern context?
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Describe original performance practices, Shakespeare's death, and his legacy.
- Analyze a Shakespearean scene in performance, contrasting different approaches.
- Evaluate the viewpoint that Shakespeare's plays belong to the present, and that we should interpret/perform them as they are most "relevant" now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Skip Frequently Asked QuestionsHow 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.
This course is part of Shakespeare's Life, Work, and Characters XSeries Program
Learn moreCertificate | Free | |
---|---|---|
Price | $149 USD | - |
Access to course materials | Unlimited | Limited Expires on Sep 27 |
World-class institutions and universities | ||
edX support | ||
Shareable certificate upon completion | ||
Graded assignments and exams |