Shakespeare's Life and Work

This course will teach numerous types of literary analysis that you might use when reading Shakespeare, moving between the world in which he lived and the current day. You will discover a variety of critical tools that you may use to unlock the meaning and relevance of Shakespeare's plays through short movies taken on location in England and readings addressing themes such as Shakespeare's contemporaries and the politics of current performance.

When you go to Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born in 1564; London, where he began his acting career; and the Globe Theater, where his first plays were produced, This voyage through Shakespeare's life will transport you to another historical period and provide you with a fresh perspective on his immortal works.

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 of Shakespeare that can be applied to his specific works.

Duration: Estimated 4 weeks (5–7 hours per week)

Enroll here: https://www.edx.org/course/shakespeares-life-and-work