summer scholars 2007:

Shakespeare: poetry and performance

Professor Marc C. Conner

Payne Hall 32B, 458-8924; connerm@wlu.edu

http://home.wlu.edu/~connerm/Shakespeare/

This course immerses you in the world of William Shakespeare, strongest poet and playwright in the western world.  We examine three of Shakespeare's greatest plays: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Winter’s Tale, and Romeo and Juliet.  We focus on the poetic power of the plays, and also on the elements of stagecraft, set design, and acting, in order to understand and appreciate the work as both poetry and dramatic performance.  Students write several interpretive papers, developing both thematic and performance aspects of the plays.  We also view several film versions of the plays, attend two live performances at the Blackfriar's Playhouse in Staunton, and at the course's conclusion the students produce and perform a major scene from Shakespeare's work.

Course Schedule

class meets every day from 9:40-10:35 in Huntley Hall 301

Week one: July 2-6

Introduction to Shakespeare, his World, and his Theater

Begin study of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Week two: July 9-13

conclude A Midsummer Night’s Dream, begin The Winter’s Tale

Visit the Blackfriar’s Playhouse to attend performance of The Winter’s Tale,

Thursday, July 12, 7 p.m. (vans depart W&L at 6 p.m. sharp)

Week three: July 16-20

conclude The Winter’s Tale, begin study of Romeo and Juliet

Visit the Blackfriar’s Playhouse to attend performance of Romeo and Juliet,

Thursday, July 19, 7 p.m. (vans depart W&L at 6 p.m. sharp)

Week four: July 23-27 (no class Monday July 24)

conclude Romeo and Juliet

class performance of scene from Romeo and Juliet, Wednesday, July 25, 7 p.m.

final assignments due

Assignments: 3-page interpretive essay on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, due Monday 7.9; 3-page interpretive essay on The Winter’s Tale, due Wednesday, 7.18; 3-page study of scene from Romeo & Juliet, due Tuesday, 7.24; live performance of Romeo & Juliet scene, Wednesday 7.25. Essays are all due at the start of class ~ late essays will not be accepted! Grading: 25% for participation, 75% for assignments. Students must take at least one essay to the Writing Lab.

summer scholars 2007:

Shakespeare: mercy, justice, and the law

Professor Marc C. Conner / Payne Hall 32B, 458-8924; connerm@wlu.edu

http://home.wlu.edu/~connerm/Shakespeare/

This course examines three of the plays of William Shakespeare, strongest poet and playwright in the western world, in the context of the Law.  Through a study of three of Shakespeare's greatest plays—The Merchant of Venice, The Winter’s Tale, and Measure for Measure—as well as several scholarly essays, we examine how Shakespeare comments upon and interprets such central legal concepts as justice, mercy, punishment, retribution, revenge, the impartiality of the judge, the reliability of the witness, the relation between divine and human judgment, the role of madness in justice, the nature of the crime, and much more. Students write two interpretive papers, developing these issues as they are worked out in the plays both in print and onstage. We also view several film versions of the plays, and attend two live performances at the Blackfriar's Playhouse.

Course Schedule

class meets every day from 10:45-11:40 in Huntley Hall 221

Week one: July 2-6

Introduction to Shakespeare, his World, and his Theater

Read The Merchant of Venice; also read Kornstein, “Shakespeare and the Law”

Week two: July 9-13 (no class Friday, July 14)

Read The Winter’s Tale; also read Kornstein, “Fie Upon your Law!” and

“Between Justice and Mercy” (Matthew & Exodus)

Visit the Blackfriar’s Playhouse to view performance of The Winter’s Tale,

Thursday, July 12, 7 p.m. (vans depart W&L at 6 p.m. sharp)

Week three: July 16-20

conclude The Winter’s Tale, begin study of Measure for Measure

attend performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Blackfriar’s Playhouse, Thursday,

July 19, 7 p.m. (vans depart W&L at 6 p.m. sharp)

Week four: July 23-27 finish study of Measure for Measure; also read Kornstein,

“A Scarecrow of the Law”

Attend performance of scene from Romeo and Juliet Wednesday, July 25, 7 p.m.

Assignments: 3-page interpretive essay on The Merchant of Venice, due Tuesday 7.10; 5-7 page interpretive essay on justice and mercy in The Winter’s Tale , due Monday, 7.23. Essays are due at the start of class ~ late essays will not be accepted! Grading: 25% for participation, 75% for assignments. Students must take at least one essay to the Writing Lab.