Shakespeare's Kings: Real and Mythological

Spring Quarter, 2015

Tuesdays, 9:30am, March 30 - June 2

A . Shakespeare's Kings, Real and Mythological Glenn Sucich, Senior Lecturer, English Tuesday mornings, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Norris University Center

Shakespeare is one of England's greatest playwrights, but how effective is he as a historian? No fewer than twelve of his plays are classified as histories, and of those, many focus on English monarchs. As literary historians have often noted, Shakespeare's portrayal of these kings is colored by cultural politics, personal biases, and the exigencies of Shakespeare's dramatic medium. In this course, we will examine the history that informs Shakespeare's two tetralogies and ask ourselves if the playwright, more than history itself, is responsible for the reputation of some of England's most famous kings.

Link to PowerPoint presentations: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cy5bd0d6tk6lzi3/AACBWyXr_uYc90MsQB-5Bbtea?ore...

Course Documents