Shakespeare's Rome
Shakespeare's Rome Throughout his career, William Shakespeare wrote several plays set in ancient Rome. Why did he and his contemporaries find the dramatization of events from Roman history so appealing? Why do we continue to do so today? In order to address these questions, we will read Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus. We will also consider Shakespeare’s ancient sources, such as Senecan drama and Plutarch’s biographies, as well as contemporary stage and film adaptations. In addition to exploring the complex ways in which Rome has served as a mirror for later cultures, we will pay close attention to the relationship between republic and autocracy, public and private life, and drama and history.
Shakespeare's Rome Throughout his career, William Shakespeare wrote several plays set in ancient Rome. Why did he and his contemporaries find the dramatization of events from Roman history so appealing? Why do we continue to do so today? In order to address these questions, we will read Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus. We will also consider Shakespeare’s ancient sources, such as Senecan drama and Plutarch’s biographies, as well as contemporary stage and film adaptations. In addition to exploring the complex ways in which Rome has served as a mirror for later cultures, we wi …Read more
The course material wasn't too challenging. We read 4-6 books throughout the semester and wrote 3 papers with a longer final paper as our exam. Prof. Star is a fair grader and gives good feedback if you go to office hours. He also does give extra credit opportunity. The workload was very manageable and he's very understanding about extensions.
I took this class as my FYS in spring 2023. Even though I wasn't interested in Shakespeare, it was a great intro to college writing with a focus on short, 1-3 page papers interspersed with long 5-6 page papers. The final is a 7-9 page research paper.