English Literature

Unit III: The Renaissance

Week 13
Please read:

William Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing

You will need to get this from the library or from a bookstore. Please be prepared for this. Once again, read it carefully, and allow yourself enough time to do so. There are several filmed versions of this that are worth watching. Write to me for details if you are interested.

For our discussion this week, I would like to consider some different issues:

• The classes of Shakespeare's plays. You have now read a tragedy, a history, and a comedy. What are their distinguishing characteristics?
• Shakespeare's humor. What are the sources of humor in the plays? How does Shakespeare "target" his humor? What is its function in each of the three kinds of plays?

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