ENGL 3000 Shakespeare for Nonmajors

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT

Teresa Nugent, PhD
Email: teresa.nugent@colorado.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Antisemitism, racism, abuse of power, gender identity and sexual orientation, and political warfare: Today’s news or Shakespeare’s narratives? Both!

In this class, you’ll learn about the sixteenth-century issues that influenced Shakespeare’s creative works, and explore how his characters and plots continue to resonate for today’s audiences. Plays will include The Merchant of Venice, The Tragedy of Othello, Richard III, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

Assignments include weekly discussion posts, reflection journal entries, and a creative project on Shakespeare’s relevance in the 21^st century.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students who actively participate and complete the work for this class will improve their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills, and will be able to perform the following tasks:

• Read Shakespearean language with ease and understanding
• Interpret Shakespeare’s poetic language, using close reading techniques
• Analyze how Shakespeare’s plays reflect and critique early modern English society
• Articulate and discuss ideas with class members in weekly discussion posts
• Compose interpretations of Shakespeare’s works based on textual evidence
• Design and present a creative project on how a Shakespeare play resonates in the twenty-first century

REQUIRED TEXTS

The Norton Shakespeare: Essential Plays & Sonnets (2016) 3rd edition, Eds., Stephen Greenblatt, et al. [ISBN 978-0-393-93863-0]

GRADING