SoSe 19: HS-Studying the Present Moment: The Hogarth Shakespeare Series
Sabine Schülting
Kommentar
In 2014, the Hogarth Press announced its project to have Shakespeare’s “timeless” plays “retold” for the present time by well-known novelists, including Jeannette Winterson, Howard Jacobson, Anne Tyler, Margaret Atwood, Tracy Chevalier, Edward St. Aubyn, Jo Nesbø, and Gillian Flynn. The series, which capitalized on the Shakespeare craze of 2014 and 2016 (marking Shakespeare’s 450th birthday and the quatercentenary of his death), was launched at the end of 2015 with Winterson’s Gap of Time, a rewriting of The Winter’s Tale. We will read five novels from the series (including tragedies, comedies, and romances) and discuss their different approaches to rewriting Shakespeare. In particular, we will explore the implications of these modern rewritings for an understanding of Shakespeare, genre, and literary history. In addition, we will also be concerned with general features of the series, including the choice of writers and marketing strategies in the UK and abroad. In sum, our discussions will revolve around the question as to what this series can tell us about the function of Shakespeare in contemporary culture and on the literary marketplace.
Texts: Students should purchase and read Jeannette Winterson, The Gap of Time (on The Winter’s Tale); Howard Jacobson, Shylock Is My Name (on The Merchant of Venice); Anne Tyler, Vinegar Girl (on The Taming of the Shrew); Margaret Atwood, Hag-Seed (on The Tempest); and Jo Nesbø, Macbeth. All novels are available in paperback editions and can be ordered from any bookseller in town. (Kindle editions are NOT recommended.) Since the reading load may be heavy during the semester, you may wish to start during the term break (we will begin with The Gap of Time). You are also expected to be familiar with the respective Shakespeare plays.
Assessment will be on the basis of regular attendance, active participation in classroom activities (including e.g. response papers or short presentations), and an essay of about 7500 words (to be submitted after the end of the semester).
Schließen13 Termine
Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung