History of Shakespeare

Shakespeare was born during the perfect period in which to make use of his skills – the Renaissance. We’ll look at how the movement greatly influenced the creative development of theatre and poetry in England, and how Elizabethan theatre developed through patronage and the creation of theatre venues.

We’ll look into William Shakespeare’s personal life – his upbringing, schooling and marriage –  and his professional life, working in London and what it was about his writing that made him stand out from the crowd.

We’ll examine the genres of plays in which Shakespeare wrote, covering his histories, tragedies, comedies, and romances, along with his sonnets. We’ll then look into some of the myths that surround Shakespeare, including the belief that he didn’t write any of his plays!

The course concludes with an exploration into the power of Shakespearean language, characterisation, universal themes and influence on modern culture.

By studying this course, you will:

• Gain a greater understanding and appreciation of William Shakespeare
• Become more familiar with Shakespeare’s histories, tragedies, comedies, romances, and sonnets
• Be aware of some of the myths that surround the writer
• Understand the power of Shakespeare’s language, characters and themes
• Be aware of how Shakespeare has influenced modern culture

This course is for anyone who wishes to gain a better understanding of Shakespeare himself, the period in which he was active, why his plays and poems were so well received at the time and continue to be so revered.

You’ll also learn about his writing style, the devices he used, and the different forms and categories in which he wrote – providing you with a new, exciting perspective from which to appreciate his work.