LIT115 CM - Shakespeare and His Rivals

The longstanding tradition of bardolatry, or Shakespeare worship, has given us a mythical figure that bestrides the narrow world like a colossus. But the historical Shakespeare was once a young writer trying to make a name for himself in the bustling world of London theater. There he had not only contemporaries but also competitors. In this course we will read a group of Shakespeare’s plays next to and against those of his rivals, including Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson. We will carefully consider such matters as style, stagecraft, genre, history, moral philosophy, and the representation of difference.

Offered: Occasionally

Credit: 1

Course Number: LIT 115 CM