Admission requirements
Successful completion of Literature 1A, 1B, 2 and 3 or equivalent.
Description
This course is a general introduction to the work of William Shakespeare. We will study the following plays: A Midsummer Night’s Dream; King Lear; Measure for Measure; The Winter’s Tale; Antony & Cleopatra; The Tempest; 1 Henry IV; II Henry IV. We’ll look at Shakespeare’s use of language, dramatic structure and genre conventions and read his work in the light of the cultural and historical contexts to which they responded and which they helped to shape in their turn.
Course objectives
By the end of the course students will have gained a good basic knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays. They are able to analyse the form and language and genre characteristics of these plays and to relate them to their cultural and historical context. They will also have gained insight into the history of Shakespeare criticism and will have further developed their academic writing skills.
Timetable
The timetable will be available by June 1st on the website.
Mode of instruction
One two-hour seminar per week.
Course Load
The course load of this course is 280 hours.
Lectures and seminars: 18
Reading material: 192
Essay: 40
Exam preparation: 30
Assessment method
Essay (40%)
End-of-term exam (60%)
In order the pass the course, students should obtain at least a 6.0 for their essay.
If the final grade is 5 or less students may only resit the insufficient course component(s).
Attendance is compulsory. Unauthorized absence will mean that you cannot take part in the relevant exam(s).
Blackboard
This course is supported by blackboard.
Reading list
The Tempest. Arden Third Series. Ed. Virginia Mason Vaughan and Alden T. Vaughan. ISBN 9781408133477.
The Winter’s Tale. Arden Third Series. Ed. John Pitcher. ISBN 9781903436356.
King Henry IV Part 1. Arden Third Series. Ed. David Scott Kastan. ISBN 781904271352.
King Lear. Arden Third Series. Ed. R.A. Foakes. ISBN 9781903436592.
Antony and Cleopatra. Arden Third Series. Ed. John Wilders. ISBN 9781904271017.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The New Cambridge Shakespeare. Ed. R.A. Foakes. ISBN 9780521532471.
Measure for Measure. The New Cambridge Shakespeare. Ed. Brian Gibbons. ISBN 9780521670784.
The Second Part of King Henry IV. The New Cambridge Shakespeare. Ed. Giorgio Melchiori. ISBN 9780521689502.
Further reading material to be downloaded via Blackboard.
Students are required to purchase the editions of the individual plays specified above (and not an edition of the complete works), as the introductions to the individual plays are part of the reading material for each week. No other editions are allowed.
Registration
Students should register through uSis. Exchange students cannot register through uSis, but must see the coordinator of studies and register with her. If you have any questions, please contact the departmental office, tel. 071 5272144 or mail: english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Study in Leiden website for information on how to apply.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration via Studeren à la carte
Registration via Contractonderwijs
Contact
English Language and Culture departmental office, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102C. Tel. 071 5272144; english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Coordinator of studies: Ms T.D. Obbens, MA, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 103C.
Remarks
Students are required to purchase the editions of the individual plays specified above, and not an edition of the complete works, as the introductions to the individual plays are part of the reading material for each week. No other editions are allowed.
Students are expected to have read A Midsummer Night’s Dream (including the introduction) before the first seminar.
All other information.