ENG 519 - Shakespeare’s Development

Catalog Year 2013-2014

The course examines the poetic and dramatic writings of William Shakespeare. The course
studies Shakespeare’s development as a writer who explores new possibilities for his poetry
and his plays while altering, amplifying, or discarding old strategies. We examine the full
range of Shakespeare’s writing: (1) from his somewhat early work in the sonnets and narrative
poems along with his early experiments in the comedies to his more mature developments
in the history plays and festive comedies, (2) from his first attempts at tragedy to the
breakdown of comic form in the problem plays, and (3) from his exclusive attention upon
tragedy to his almost exclusive work in the later romances. Our readings will be selected
from each phase and genre.

PREREQ: Graduate standing
credit: 3