OLLI Fall 2024 Syllabus – Thurs. at Aliante

Course Title: Shakespeare’s Comic and Tragic Modes:
As You Like It, Measure for Measure, Macbeth, Hamlet

Time: Fall 2024. Thurs. 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Sept. 19 – Nov. 21, no holidays.)
Location: Aliante Library, 2400 Deer Springs Way, N. Las Vegas, NV 89084.
Instructor: Alfred J. Drake, Ph.D.
Email: ajdrake@ajdrake.com
Shakespeare Web: https://www.ajdrake.com/shakespeare

Materials Specific to This Class

As You Like It Questions | Commentary
Measure for Measure Questions | Commentary
Macbeth Questions | Commentary
Hamlet – Questions | Commentary

Introduction to Shakespeare’s Life & Times (Drake)
Intro. to Shakespeare’s Language & Art, Pt. 1 (Drake)
Intro. to Shakespeare’s Language & Art, Pt. 2 (Drake)

Recommended Texts (*These editions can generally be bought used at much lower cost than new.)

Shakespeare. As You Like It: A Norton Critical Edition. W. W. Norton, 2011. ISBN-13: 978-0393927627.

Shakespeare. Measure for Measure: A Norton Critical Edition. W. W. Norton, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0393931716.

Shakespeare. Macbeth: A Norton Critical Edition. W. W. Norton, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-0393923261.

Shakespeare. Hamlet: A Norton Critical Edition. W. W. Norton, 2019. ISBN-13: 978-0393640106.

Or, you may prefer the Norton genre set: Greenblatt, Stephen et al., eds. The Norton Shakespeare. 4-vol. bundle. 3rd edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2015. ISBN-13: 978-0393265460. (Used editions are sometimes available for $60-$70 online. New, the set costs about $120.)

Course Overview: We will examine the variety within Shakespeare’s comic and tragic plays. As You Like It is a sunny comedy with a heroine, Rosalind, who helps her suitor gain insight into true love. Measure for Measure is a dark comedy that unsparingly explores the difficulties of maintaining civility among flawed human beings. Macbeth is a taut tragedy in which a warrior pursues the crown promised him by supernatural insight, only to destroy his own soul. Hamlet is a sprawling tragedy in which the protagonist’s interiority conflicts with the revenge-command given him by his murdered father, making him anything but a straightforward “revenger.”

*Note: We will watch segments from excellent film productions, some of which contain material that some viewers may find distressing.

Schedule (Subject to change)

Week 1       Sept. 19      Intro to Shakespeare.

Week 2      Sept. 26     As You Like It, Acts 1-3.

Week 3      Oct. 03       As You Like It, Acts 4-5.

Week 4      Oct. 10       Measure for Measure, Acts 1-3.

Week 5      Oct. 17      Measure for Measure, Acts 4-5.   

Week 6      Oct. 24      Macbeth, Acts 1-3.

Week 7      Oct. 31      Macbeth, Acts 4-5.

Week 8      Nov. 07      Hamlet, Act 1.

Week 9      Nov. 14     Hamlet, Acts 2-3.

Week 10    Nov. 21      Hamlet, Acts 4-5 and course retrospective.