Fachbereich 7

Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft


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The 'Other' Renaissance Playwrights: Reading Shakespeare's Contemporaries


DozentIn: Dr. phil. Anja Höing, M.Ed.

Veranstaltungstyp: Seminar

Ort: 15/E28

Zeiten: Di. 16:00 - 18:00 (wöchentlich)

Beschreibung: William Shakespeare is such a dominant figure in academia that it is easy to forget how many other playwrights contributed to the diverse landscape of English Renaissance theatre. In Elizabethan and Jacobean times, the London theatres experienced one of their most productive eras, with several theatre companies and a number of highly productive authors struggling for the attention of potential playgoers. In this seminar, we will focus on one topic that particularly fascinated English Renaissance playwrights: the revenge tragedy. We will read four revenge tragedies by four different authors, investigating the many ways in which this dramatic genre both reflected and shaped the Elizabethan imagination.

This class requires extensive reading before the term commences. Make sure to have read the following plays before the term starts:
- Thomas Kyd. The Spanish Tragedy.
- John Webster. The Duchess of Malfi.
- Thomas Middleton. The Revenger’s Tragedy.
- John Ford. ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore

As editions of Renaissance dramatic texts differ considerably, it is important that you all buy the same versions of the plays. Please buy print versions of the following edited books:
- Smith, Emma (ed.). Five Revenge Tragedies: The Spanish Tragedy, Hamlet, Antonio's Revenge, The Tragedy of Hoffman, The Revenger's Tragedy. Penguin Classics, 2012.
- Kingsley-Smith, Jane (ed.). The Duchess of Malfi, The White Devil, The Broken Heart and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore Penguin Classics, 2014.

Some additional reading might be assigned for certain sessions and will be made available either on Stud.IP or in the university library. Check Stud-IP on a regular basis to be aware of updates, announcements, and changes.

Students will be required to

- read and discuss a number of Renaissance plays
- participate actively and regularly
- join an expert group on one of the plays and, in this group, to prepare an introductory presentation on the play
- write a term paper
(Details on requirements will be announced in the first session)


zur Veranstaltung in Stud.IP