Course description

Focusing on English drama, this course introduces students to the rich variety of theatre produced between the tenth century CE and the closing of English theatres at the onset of the Civil War in 1642. We will study the ambitious scope and sophisticated dramaturgy of medieval theatre, tracing its influence on the exciting flourishing of drama during the Elizabethan period and beyond. We will compare Shakespeare's plays and dramaturgy to those of some of his famous contemporaries, including Ben Johnson and the playwriting duo Beaumont & Fletcher, and examine bloody revenge tragedies, tragicomedy, and the distorting mirror of Caroline drama.

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