About this XSeries
Join us for an exploration of Shakespeare’s Outsiders: the disturbing and uncanny “others” whose presence at the margins of society is both celebrated and contested. From lectures filmed on-location in Venice, London, and Stratford-upon-Avon to conversations with artists, academics, and librarians at Harvard, you will have unprecedented access to a range of resources for unlocking Shakespeare's classic plays. You will also be invited to share your own theatrical interpretations and to consider how the meaning of a work of art changes depending on the time, context, and culture.
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost of the dead King of Denmark appears to his son, setting off a chain of events that culminates in the play’s notoriously bloody finale. But how would this mysterious figure have been understood in Shakespeare’s world? You’ll learn the narrative sources of Hamlet, the religious convictions that shaped how people in Renaissance England understood the afterlife, and the ways that Shakespeare’s Ghost would have thrilled and challenged its original audience.
In William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, the Jewish moneylender Shylock proposes a “merry sport” to the merchant Antonio: he will lend Antonio the money he needs if Antonio agrees to let Shylock take a pound of his flesh should he default. But what does Shylock want from the bond, and how merry does the play ultimately prove? In this section, you’ll be introduced to Jewish history in Venice and in England, to the ways in which Shakespeare’s own audience might have responded to the play and its genre, and to the history of the play’s production through the twenty-first century.
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Venetian general Othello represents himself to Desdemona and to the Venetian Senate through fantastic tales. Othello’s stories — about himself, to himself, and to others — sets in motion a tragic romance. You’ll learn the ways in which Shakespeare's characters tell stories within the play; how actors, directors, composers, and other artists tell stories through Othello in performance; and how the play grapples with larger issues including power, identity, and the boundary between fact and fiction.
What you'll learn
- Appreciate Shakespearean dramaturgy and language.
- Identify historical contexts that illuminate Shakespeare’s artistic choices.
- Explore the implications of different theatrical and performance interpretations.
- Why Shakespeare is important.
From | HarvardX, Harvard University via edX |
---|---|
Hours | 84 |
Instructors | Stephen Greenblatt, Bailey Sincox |
Language | English |
Subjects | Humanities |
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Careers
An overview of related careers and their average salaries in the US. Bars indicate income percentile (33rd - 99th).
Trade Representative-Statewide (Prince William) $49k
Member, BOV - William & Mary $64k
Associate Portfolio Marketing Manager//William Grant & Sons $64k
Event Planner / Grauduation Coordinator ~ William D. Purser Center $68k
Visiting William H. Danforth Professor of Religion, emeritus $119k
Courses in this XSeries
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Shakespeare’s Othello: The Moor In this course, we'll read William Shakespeare’s Othello and discuss the play from a variety of perspectives. The goal of the course is not to cover everything that has been... edX | HarvardX, Harvard University |
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Shakespeare's Hamlet: The Ghost (You were viewing this course) In the first act of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet , the Ghost of the dead King of Denmark appears to his son, setting off a chain of events that culminates in the play’s... edX | Harvard University, HarvardX |
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On Demand |
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: Shylock In the first act of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice , the Jewish moneylender Shylock proposes a “merry sport” to the merchant Antonio: he will lend Antonio the money... edX | Harvard University, HarvardX |
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&
From | HarvardX, Harvard University via edX |
---|---|
Hours | 84 |
Instructors | Stephen Greenblatt, Bailey Sincox |
Language | English |
Subjects | Humanities |
Careers
An overview of related careers and their average salaries in the US. Bars indicate income percentile (33rd - 99th).
Trade Representative-Statewide (Prince William) $49k
Member, BOV - William & Mary $64k
Associate Portfolio Marketing Manager//William Grant & Sons $64k
Event Planner / Grauduation Coordinator ~ William D. Purser Center $68k
Visiting William H. Danforth Professor of Religion, emeritus $119k
Similar Courses
Sorted by relevance