WiSe 16/17: S-Culture-Gender-Media II: Bardolatry: Past and Present
Sabine Schülting
Comments
Towards the end of the year in which the quartercentenary of Shakespeare’s death was celebrated, this course aims to assess contemporary bardolatry (i.e. the worship of William Shakespeare as “the ... read more
Towards the end of the year in which the quartercentenary of Shakespeare’s death was celebrated, this course aims to assess contemporary bardolatry (i.e. the worship of William Shakespeare as “the Bard”) and situate it in the history of Shakespeare celebrations. They can be traced back to the year 1769, when David Garrick organized the first Shakespeare Jubilee in Stratford-upon-Avon. Our discussions will focus on a variety of texts and media – including paintings, literature, essays, TV-shows, websites, and material culture. We will analyze Shakespeare’s contribution to the construction and reconstruction of the ‘nation’ (both the British and the German); explore the tensions between high culture and popular culture; and consider the functions of bardolatry at the beginning of the 21st century.
Texts: All texts will be made available on Blackboard.
Assessment will be on the basis of regular attendance, active participation (including e.g. short presentations and response papers), and the submission of a 4000-word essay.
