Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.

Shakespeare’s plays speak directly to us because of his depth of human understanding and his insights into the human condition. We will explore themes including love, power, revenge, ambition, evil, nobility, truth, and tragedy, through an analysis of Shakespeare’s major characters and themes. We’ll also discuss Shakespeare in the context of his time. His plays reflect the ferment of post reformation philosophy and politics. He was familiar with the philosophy of Michel De Montaigne on skepticism and Machiavelli’s political pragmatism. His plays reflect the changing ideas on human nature and the rise of science, which are played out in the complex psychology of his characters and their social and political situations. We will range across the comedies, tragedies and historical plays; from the high drama of Macbeth, Coriolanus and King Lear, to the wise playfulness of As You Like it and Much Ado about Nothing.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• identify the main philosophical ideas in Shakespeare’s plays and discuss them in relation to our contemporary situation
• discuss the significance of each philosophical issue to Shakespeare’s world
• discuss the overall themes presented in Shakespeare’s works
• discuss the various points of view presented in Shakespeare’s plays.

Content

Introduction to Shakespeare