Summer Shakespeare III

Summer Shakespeare III covers the nine plays that haven’t been taken up anywhere else in the Scholars Online literature curriculum, and it’s a mixed bag. Some of the plays are among the weaker works of Shakespeare; a couple are of dubious authenticity (such as King John and Henry VIII); a few are among the greats, but some (e.g., Othello) contain rather strong adult themes, and should be approached with some caution.

Because time is at a premium during the summer, and we would like to accomplish as much as we possibly can, I’d like to hit the ground running with a play discussion the first week. Therefore, do not delay to enroll, and get the books as soon as possible. Specifics will be put onto a website and startup details e-mailed to enrolled students in the first week of June.

Course Website: Summer Shakespeare III

Sections and Teachers

Section 1:

Instructor: Bruce McMenomy

Starts: June 12, 2023
Ends: August 18, 2023

Wednesday 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM ET

Tuition: $275.00

Prerequisites

No previous particular coursework is required, but some significant exposure to Shakespeare is strongly advised.

Recommended background

Some previous familiarity with Shakespeare is probably essential — this is definitely not the place to start reading Shakespeare.

Teacher's notes:

I will strictly observe the tenth-grade cutoff for this class, but beyond that I leave determining the suitability of these works up to the student’s parents. Some of these plays deal with adult themes, and while I certainly don’t have any intention of pursuing offensive material for its own sake, I don’t want to get too wrapped up in dealing with them either.

Certainly even the strongest passages of Shakespeare are rather tame compared to what comes out of Hollywood these days, but different parents and students have different standards and tolerances, and I want to respect those. If you would like to have your student take the course but skip one or two sessions, that’s okay with me: the course is ungraded, there is nothing to pass or fail, and a student can miss a session without prejudice to any other. Please be forewarned and informed in your choices; if I can answer questions, please ask me.

Textbooks and Materials

This item is required:

Cymbeline , Authors: William Shakespeare

ISBN: 067172259X