Global Shakespeares approaches some of the playwright’s most enduring works through their vibrant and varied afterlife. We will focus on four or five plays, drawn from different genres, including Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Tempest. Close reading of the texts will accompany examining how they have been adapted and performed around the world, on film and in theatre. Students will reflect upon how adapting the plays in different ways and for different contexts changes our understanding of their cultural impact. We may also attend one or more theatrical performances, depending on what is available in the Boston area during the semester. This semester, the two sections of 21L.009 will also benefit by meeting periodically with one another as well as with Prof. Henderson’s Writing with Shakespeare (21L.010) for films, scene analysis, presentations, and more.
