Shakespeare on Stage and Screen

Shakespeare on Stage and Screen: An exploration
the major tragedies as
plays, productions and films.

This course offers an in-depth study of William
Shakespeare's greatest tragedies on stage and
screen. The seminar will closely examine "Hamlet,"
"Othello," "King Lear" and "Macbeth" as plays,
productions, and finally as film adaptations.
Prominent scholarship on the texts and critical
writing on the works in performance will be
included. In addition, there will be critical and
theoretical material exploring the relationship
between cinema and theater. Prominent stage and
screen productions will be assigned and discussed
in class, including Laurence Olivier's "Hamlet,"
Peter Brook's "Hamlet" and "King Lear," Akira
Kurosawa's "Ran" and "Throne of Blood," Grigori
Kozintsev's "King Lear," Roman Polanski's
"Macbeth," and Welles' "Othello." Welles' "Chimes
at Midnight," a version of "Henry IV," will also
be included. Students will be assigned to present
an in-class introduction to one of the productions
or films. Additionally, they will be assigned to
write in response to questions each week on the
reading and vie ing in an online class discussion
forum. A 5-7 page final essay examining one of the
productions on stage or screen will also be
required.