HNAR-290: Shakespeare Plays & Films

William Shakespeare is famous, but surprisingly, few Art Center students are familiar with his work--even though his plays are among the most important examples of the possibilities of narrative and drama, of character development, of psychological explorations, and of the dynamism of politics as it intersects history. Besides, the plays are exciting, funny, tragic, and incredibly entertaining. They just require some getting used to, and that is one of the goals of this course. During the semester we'll read two to four plays and see various film productions of each. We'll look into the plays as works of literature, and we'll explore the interpretations given to each play by actors and directors (to say nothing of editors, production designers, and others) as the literary genre is realized as drama. This course is of particular relevance to students in Film, Entertainment Design and Illustration. There will be a short exam on each play and an essay due at the end of the term. There may also be surprise guests.