English Literature
Reading Shakespeare from scratch
莎劇新讀
Course No. : 251-390266-01|Start Date : 28/02/2025
Instructor
Mr William Wong 黃馨先生
Language Used
English
Total Hours
24 hour(s)
Session
12
Place
Start Date
28/02/2025
Schedule
Friday
Time
10:00 - 12:00
Tuition Fee
$2,500
Level
General Short Courses
Course Enquiries
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Enrolment Enquiries
2209 0290
1 Course description:
This course is designed for participants who are interested in exploring the plays of William Shakespeare, not only for greater understanding and enjoyment, but also for improving their use of English.
The course will begin with an overall view of the theatres and plays of William Shakespeare. Participants will then be guided through the reading of three of Shakespeare’s iconic plays: The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth.
Participants are expected to learn about the times and peculiarities of Shakespeare’s theatre, participate in play-reading and role-playing activities, learn some of the intricacies of the best English, and even have fun in this course.
The course will begin with an overall view of the theatres and plays of William Shakespeare. Participants will then be guided through the reading of three of Shakespeare’s iconic plays: The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth.
Participants are expected to learn about the times and peculiarities of Shakespeare’s theatre, participate in play-reading and role-playing activities, learn some of the intricacies of the best English, and even have fun in this course.
2 Course syllabus:
Introductory lectures
- the historical background of Elizabethan and Jacobean England
- the mechanisms and conventions of Elizabethan theatre
- the peculiarities of Shakespeare’s language and dramatic structure
- the development of Shakespeare as a dramatist
The Merchant of Venice 「威尼斯商人」
- overcome the most common difficulties in learning Shakespearean syntax and usage
- understand the peculiar Elizabethan social and moral norms presented in the play which would be unthinkable to the twenty-first century audiences
Julius Caesar 「凱撒大帝」
- the veiled political parables of the plays will be studied, as well as its resounding rhetoric
- the rudiments and foundation of the Shakespearean tragedy
Macbeth 「馬克白」
- this mature Shakespearean tragedy will be studied which will serve as a hallway to other Shakespearean tragedies as well as his political plays
- the historical background of Elizabethan and Jacobean England
- the mechanisms and conventions of Elizabethan theatre
- the peculiarities of Shakespeare’s language and dramatic structure
- the development of Shakespeare as a dramatist
The Merchant of Venice 「威尼斯商人」
- overcome the most common difficulties in learning Shakespearean syntax and usage
- understand the peculiar Elizabethan social and moral norms presented in the play which would be unthinkable to the twenty-first century audiences
Julius Caesar 「凱撒大帝」
- the veiled political parables of the plays will be studied, as well as its resounding rhetoric
- the rudiments and foundation of the Shakespearean tragedy
Macbeth 「馬克白」
- this mature Shakespearean tragedy will be studied which will serve as a hallway to other Shakespearean tragedies as well as his political plays
3 Instructor: Mr William Wong 黃馨先生
Mr Wong has obtained his B.A. in English and Comparative Literature and his M.A. in Literary and Cultural Studies from the University of Hong Kong. He is now an independent promoter of various performing arts programme in Hong Kong and East Asia.
4 Textbook
Students are advised to obtain for use in this course the three plays, The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth from The Arden Shakespeare (Third Series) published by Bloomsbury.