ENG 362 - Shakespeare in the Renaissance (3)

The most famous figure in western literary history did not develop in isolation. Rather, William Shakespeare was influenced by the politics, religious conflicts, and manners of his age, even as he used his work to comment upon topics such as colonization, nobility, and the role of the theatre. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to describe the major patterns and themes of several Shakespeare histories, comedies, and tragedies. Moreover, they will be able to identify major dramatic and poetic precursors to Shakespeare’s work as well as drama and poetry indebted to Shakespeare’s influence. Students will develop a topic exploring the relationship between Shakespeare’s work and his Renaissance context in a major research paper.