“Though this be madness, yet
there is method in’t.”
Although we may think of
Shakespeare as an author of early modern England, he is the most adapted author
on film and television in the world. Shakespeare’s plays, then, offer a pivotal
point in understanding both early modern England and contemporary culture. The
success of Shakespearean films has shaped some of our most popular actors,
defined directors, and made (and destroyed) studios. In this course, we will
examine some of the most popular, influential, global, and innovative film and
television adaptations of six Shakespeare plays.
Richard Burt and Julian Yates
have argued that “The worst thing you can do to Shakespeare is not to read
him.” In this course, we will closely analyze the text of the plays to lay the
groundwork in our survey of the film and television adaptations. In doing so,
we will explore the language of both script and film. We will examine films and
television from across the 20th century and into the 21st,
from America, England, Russia, Japan, and India. Our challenge will be to understand
the distinct rhetorical and formal goals each director attempts to achieve in
their distinct and diverse adaptations.
Requirements: Separate screening sessions of the films will be
scheduled. Students must attend them or arrange to view the films on their own.
Those who attend these sessions are eligible for extra credit by filling out a
comment form. Those who cannot attend at that time may also receive credit by
turning in a similar response form.
Evaluation: Evaluation will be based on one medium-length paper,
discussion posts on Laulima, quizzes, a midterm, a final exam, and a
collaborative project.
Required Texts
1: Crowl, Samuel. Shakespeare and
Film: A Norton Guide. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-393-92765-8.
2: Shakespeare, William. Henry
V. Ed. Gary Taylor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0199536511
3: Shakespeare, William. Much
Ado About Nothing. Ed. Zitner. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780199536115
4: Shakespeare, William. Romeo
and Juliet. Ed. Jill Levenson. Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN
978-0-19-953589-7
5: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth.
Ed. Nicholas Brooke. Oxford University Press, 1990.
ISBN 978-0-19-953583-5
6: Shakespeare, William. Hamlet.
Ed. G. R. Hibbard. Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN 978-0-19-953581-1
7: Shakespeare, William. The
Tempest. Ed. Stephen Orgel. Oxford University Press, 1987. ISBN
978-0-19-953590-3
8: A Course Reader available from Professional Image on
University Avenue.