Shakespeare was praised by his contemporary Ben Jonson as being both the "Soul of the age" and "not of an age, but for all time." This course approaches the comedic and historical plays that Shakespeare wrote through Jonson's paradoxical view, examining how such drama could be said to capture the soul or spirit of the English Renaissance while also appearing timeless. Our reading will pair humorous elements of cross-dressing, mistaken identity, marriage, and witty banter in the comedies with weighty political problems of authority and power stemming from the troubled history and scheming of the English monarchy in the histories. By studying film versions (such as the BBC's The Hollow Crown and Joss Whedon's jazzy Much Ado About Nothing) alongside the plays themselves we also will explore the relationship of performance and adaptation to interpretation.

Assignments include short response papers and two longer essays as well as a creating your own Shakespearean speech. Recommended: junior standing.