We'll read the following works by Shakespeare, in this order. I use the
Oxford editions whenever possible.
First term:
Romeo and Juliet (Oxford), A Midsummer Night's Dream
(Shakespeare in Performance series, Cambridge),
Richard II (Signet), Henry IV, parts I and II (Oxford),
Henry V (Oxford). Second term: Twelfth Night (Oxford),
Hamlet (Oxford), King Lear (Signet), Measure for
Measure (Oxford), Antony and Cleopatra (Oxford), The
Tempest (Oxford).
The University of Toronto Bookroom at the Koffler Centre has `bulk ordered' the editions listed above in order to save you money: I've been told that you can buy the first texts in September, the last texts in December/January.
If you're interested in comparing editions, have a look at Ann Thompson & T.L. Berger, Which Shakespeare? a user's guide to editions (1992, PR 3071 T48 1992, ROBA & TRIN). If you're cash-strapped, you might want to check out second-hand bookstores, or wait for the Trinity College and UC book sales in mid-October.
We'll study each play for approximately 2 weeks. Please bring your text to each class.
In-class essay (close reading of a passage)
written in class on Tuesday
November 14th (10%), open-book test on
Thursday
January 25th
(10%), see key, two 2,000 word essays due on
Monday December 11th and
Tuesday March 13th (40%), second term
tutorial exercise due Thursday March 29th(10%),
informed participation in class discussion and on the class e-list (5% - and I
take this mark seriously), final examination (25%).
Sept 12 Course administration and a 25-minute video
Pageants of delight(V2904), an introduction to the theatrical
influences
on William Shakespeare.
Sept 14 Shakespeare's theatre, Shakespeare's
texts
MacD. P. Jackson, "The transmission of Shakespeare's text" and Peter Thomson, "Playhouses and players in the time of Shakespeare", in The Cambridge companion to Shakespeare studies, ed. Stanley Wells (Cambridge University Press, 1986)
Sept 19 Romeo and Juliet (Oxford)
Oct 3 A Midsummer Night's Dream (Cambridge: Shakespeare in
Performance)
Oct 17 Richard II (Signet)
Oct 31 Henry IV, Part 1 (Oxford World's Classics)
Nov 14 In-class
essay.
Use the Instructions
that Jennifer has given you. She's also compiled a List of key terms and definitions for
you. And now that she's assessed your assignments, she's compiled a Key to a good assignment that you
can consult in preparation for next term.
For help
with literary/poetic terminology,
check out Ian Lancashire's Glossary of poetic
terms or the UVic Writer's Guide for lists of Poetic
terms and Literary
and rhetorical terms
.
Nov 16 Henry IV, Part 2 (Oxford World's Classics)
Nov 28 Henry V (Oxford World's Classics)
Dec 11-20 Essay #1
due You may hand the paper in any time up to and including
December 20th.
Rob Ormsby, a previous TA for this course, has has written a handout on Writing
an Essay. Prof Percy's admin
page has other links to guides to writing academic
essays
After you have read each play, you might want to watch a production of it on
video at the AV library (basement of the Gerstein/Sigmund Samuel library).
Groups of you might want to get together and book a room to watch it in. I've
given you the call numbers of the BBC Shakespeare, but the library has many
other productions: have a look at the catalogue!
Romeo and Juliet (V 002001), Midsummer Night's Dream (V
002018), Richard II (V 002004), Henry IV part 1 (V 002010),
Henry IV part 2 (V 002007), Henry V (V 002017), Twelfth
Night (V 002009), Hamlet (V 002011), King Lear (V 002008),
Measure for Measure (V 002003), Antony and Cleopatra (V
002016), The Tempest (V 002047).
If you're interested in general subjects like the London theatre,
Renaissance comedy, etc., Cambridge University Press has published some useful
resources:
The Cambridge companion to English Renaissance drama. Ed. A.R. Braunmuller and Michael Hattaway. Cambridge University Press, 1990. PR 651 C36 1990 Gerstein (STL), SMC, TRIN, VIC.
The Cambridge companion to Shakespeare studies. Ed. Stanley Wells. Cambridge University Press, 1986. PR 2976 C29 1986 ROBA, SMC, TRIN, UC, VIC.
Early in second term, the bibliography exercise will help you find and
evaluate primary and secondary texts. General guides to Shakespeare scholarship
include
Bergeron, David Moore and Geraldo U. de Sousa, Shakespeare: a study and research guide (Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, c1993). PR 2987 B4 1995 ROBA, Z9911 B44 1995 VICREF.
Champion, Larry S. The essential Shakespeare: an annotated bibliography of major modern studies. 2nd ed. G.K. Hall, c1993. Z 8811 C53 1993 (ROBA, VIC REF), PR 2894 C47 1993 (TRIN REF).
Wells, Stanley. Shakespeare: a bibliographical guide. Oxford: Clarendon, 1990. Z 8811 S5 1990 (VIC REF), PR 2893 S445 1990 (SMC REF, TRIN REF).
Dramatic genre: the play or playwright's
perspective on the world (J. Roberts-Smith)
`Mr. William
Shakespeare and the
internet'
The
interactive Shakespeare project: teaching guide (scansion, essays),
Measure for Measure, links...
Early modern English
language and literature links
Seventeenth-century
Shakespearean promptbooks
Search individual Shakespeare plays for
particular words!
Search
all of Shakespeare's works, or individual plays, with filtering and
selection features!
Look those words up in the Oxford English
Dictionary!
The UVic Writer's Guide has a useful web site with lists of literary
terms
Prof Percy's administrivia page has links to sites with guides to essay writing
Professor Percy's administrivia page
The TA is Jennifer
Smith.