Shakespeare from Beginning to End: A survey of works, both plays and poems, across his whole career.

Harvard FAS

We will begin with Shakespeare's brilliant early history play, Richard III, and read works from the full course of his career, sampling all of his major genres: comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances. Along the way, we will consider one or more of the "problem plays" that challenge all generic categories. In addition to his writing for the stage, we will read his long erotic poem, "Venus and Adonis" and a selection of his sonnets. We will learn about the Elizabethan theater and…