Overview
A study of Shakespeare as playwright and poet, with some attention given to the theatrical and cinematic reception of the plays.
After 400 years, Shakespeare's plays continue to provoke and engage audiences and readers.
Shakespeare was both a poet and a man of the theatre. His plays were performed before both royalty and commoners and constituted one of the earliest forms of mass entertainment. In this paper we will explore the nature of the theatrical world in which he wrote, his stagecraft, and his use of language, particularly the way that Shakespeare used language to motivate performance and action. We will also examine how Shakespeare's language has been adapted to the cinema through a study of significant filmic adaptations of his work.
About this paper
| Paper title | Shakespeare: Stage, Page and Screen |
|---|---|
| Subject | English |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2025 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,040.70 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- One 100-level ENGL paper (excluding ENGL 126) or 36 points
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the English and Linguistics Programme website
- Teaching staff
- Teaching Arrangements
Twice-weekly lectures; play-readings; tutorials; screenings.
- Textbooks
Plays that we will cover in full or in part (please note that these texts are available for free electronically though www.folger.edu):
- Midsummer Night's Dream
- The Tempest
- Richard III
- Coriolanus
- Macbeth
- Antony and Cleopatra
- Twelfth Night
Please note that we will also watch filmic adaptations or theatrical productions of these plays.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this paper will gain:
- Understanding of staging history of Shakespeare
- Understanding of the cinematic history of Shakespearean adaptation
- Knowledge of analytic tools to read Shakespeare, including embedded stage instructions, cultural history and close reading