SHAKESPEARE AND THE ARTS
INTC/ENG 1003H PPP 2016 M-TH XXX-YYY F 11-1 CRN XXXXX/YYYYY
Prof. Will Lee, Belfer 522, [email protected]
Shakespeare wrote sonnets, lyric poems, and long narrative poems as well as plays: tragedies,
comedies, and histories. He loved to play with boundaries between and interactions between genres.
Into his plays, for instance, he integrated other forms of art: songs, poems, dances, and, in The Tempest
at the very end of his career, all of those forms plus instrumental music and a simple masque.
Shakespeare therefore offers today’s students an excellent opportunity to learn about a broad range of
the creative arts during the English Renaissance.
Beyond the Renaissance, Shakespeare has continued to inspire artists of all kinds: painters, sculptors,
choreographers, composers, poets, novelists, and producers as well as his fellow playwrights. Directors
have translated Shakespeare into countless idioms and modes: the Romantic Shakespeare, Shylock as a
Victorian businessman, A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a circus, the existentialist Shakespeare.
Television and movies have led to two kinds of adaptations: the capturing of a stage production on film
or video and the transformation of one or more plays into a film.
Plays, poems, paintings, and films usually show up in different courses, so we tend to think of them as
divergent. Plays call for live performance, poems for public or private readings, paintings for gazing,
films for screenings. A viewer may interpret a painting by absorbing how parts within its space relate to
the artwork as a whole. Readers interpret lines of poetry, whether formal or free, line by line through
time. But various media, genres, and forms of art can influence and cast light on one another, in part
because they all invite active interpretation. Many artists play with distinctions, mixing and matching
elements from multiple genres. Scene by scene, directors and actors for both plays and films interpret
characters, and audiences interpret performances. Some plays rely partly or exclusively on poetry.
Some poems and most films feature dramatic elements ranging from soliloquies to dialogue. Most films
meld the visual, the verbal, and the aural through dialogue, sound effects, and music.
This INTC core course/ENG elective will explore both Shakespeare’s ability to meld different genres
and forms of art and later artists’ visions inspired by Shakespeare. Drawing on close reading, textual
studies, genre studies, genre theory, media studies, film studies, art criticism, art history, literary studies,
Shakespeare studies, influence studies, historical studies, and cultural studies, we will focus on how each
medium, each genre, each form of art, and each artwork creates meanings; when we can assess an
interpretation as partial, implausible, or downright impossible; and how interpreters can arrive at
probable or even compelling interpretations of individual creative works within the literary, visual, and
performing arts.
GOALS FOR THE COURSE
N.B.: “Interpreting the Creative” (INTC) courses within the Yeshiva College core curriculum
provide students with foundational tools for appreciating, understanding, and interpreting works from
various domains of the creative arts including the literary, visual, musical, and theatrical.
In this INTC core course/ENG elective students will:
 learn to interpret attentively and closely, with respect for the artwork and an eye to
interrelationships of medium, genre, subgenre, style, voice, form, content, parts, and the "shaping
principles" of the whole
 become familiar with poetry, plays, paintings, and films as genres within which various
subgenres thrive
 develop a critical vocabulary for describing features and conventions of medium, genre, style,
form, and content
 interpret and evaluate each work in its own terms as well as by comparison and by genre
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GOALS FOR THE COURSE cont.
 apply multiple interpretive frameworks to analyze and compare different kinds of creative works
(ALL INTC COURSES)
 understand how creative works shape and enhance our perception and understanding of ourselves
and the worlds we live in (ALL INTC COURSES)
 write with the purpose of defending an interpretation and/or a thesis about one or more works of
art (ALL INTC COURSES; some may include the creation of a work of art as well as expository
writing)
 cite primary and secondary sources appropriately, using MLA guidelines
FORMAT: Brief lectures will punctuate guided Socratic discussions intended to stimulate genuine
thoughtfulness about artworks, media, genres, processes of interpretation, and interpretive frameworks.
REQUIREMENTS AND APPROXIMATE BASIS FOR GRADING
 participation, meaning at least one significant contribution to each class session 10%
 attendance, with a maximum of 2 unexcused absences and a third of a grade penalty for each class
session missed after that (in cases of habitual lateness, two times late equals one absence)
 visits to one or two NYC venues on Sunday or in the evening: perhaps a play and an art museum
 film and film clips on DVD and or YouTube; paintings via emailed links
 readings (see outline below)
 brief exercised closely analyzing a couplet from a sonnet, a painting based on a scene or on one or
more characters, and a scene from a film (2 pp. each) 10% for each x 3 = 30%
 an optional focused revision of one exercise
 a final essay (6-7 pp.) comparing the portion of a scene in a painting with the same scene in the
play and in a film clip 40%
 a take-home essay exam 20%
 an optional focused revision of portions of the final essay
TEXTS
Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare. 3rd edition. Gen. ed. Stephen Greenblatt. NY: W. W.
Norton, 2015. ISBN 978-0393249835 $63.88
Monaco, James. How to Read a Film: Movies, Media, and Beyond; Art, Technology, Language,
Theory, History. 4th ed. Oxford 2009 ISBN 978-0195-321050. $17.52
Oxford English Dictionary (a crucial reference available in a library database)
Films and excerpts from ballets and operas from DVDs and video clips from the internet
Paintings, sculptures, other visual works, ancillary writings, and video clips via internet links
USEFUL WEBSITES
Shakespeare Illustrated links http://shakespeare.emory.edu/illustrated_index.cfm
Tate Collection of British national art
http://www.tate.org.uk/search/Shakespeare
CLASS SESSIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
N.B.: This syllabus, while it gives a reasonably good idea of the overall shape of the course and the
order of discussion, can give only a relatively rough idea of the pace and order of class sessions and the
timing of assignments, which will depend in part on the capabilities of the students. The numbers 1-14
below indicate Weeks 1-14 and set forth a reasonable theory about how the course will unfold.
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CLASS SESSIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS cont.
Plays, sonnets, and lyrics from The Norton Shakespeare, 2nd ed.
~ Read editorial introduction to each Shakespearean work
~ Introductory materials on Shakespeare’s life and times pp. 1-76: quickly scan during the
first week and read relevant portions in more depth later on
Introduction
~ Shakespeare the person and the myth: biographies, and documents
~ Renaissance sonnets vs. Renaissance paintings and etchings, Italian and English; Mona Lisa
~ two authentic images vs. dozens of portraits
~ Shakespeare’s fecundity: multi-play films like Chimes at Midnight (1965) with Orson Welles
as director and as Falstaff; multi-play paintings like John Gilbert’s in 1849
2) Shakespeare’s Sonnets (1594-9, 1601-3, poss. revised and pub. 1609)
~ biographical vs. cultural approaches vs. “close readings”
~ Shakespeare vs. persona vs. character; voice, tones, feelings
~ conventions vs. the unconventional
~ content in relation to form and technique
~ meter vs. rhythm; rhymes; word music
CLOSE READING OF A SONNET (2 pp.)
~ Models for close reading: Vendler; Contemporary Poetry Review; Poetry Explication
Compare to “reading” a Renaissance painting
4) Compare to other lyrics
~ “A Song” (1592-5), pp. 1996-8
~ “The Phoenix and Turtle” (1601), pp. 2004-6
BRIEF IN-CLASS PRESENTATIONS WILL BEGIN AROUND THIS
POINT AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE TERM
5) Andrew Gurr, “The Shakespearean Stage,” pp. 3281-3301: how staging and performance shape texts
6) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1594-6)
Paintings of Puck, Oberon and Titania, Bottom, etc.
CLOSE ANALYSIS OF A PAINTING (2 pp.)
Film clips: Max Reinhardt with James Cagney and Mickey Rooney (1935) vs. Peter Hall (1968)
Compare to other visual and performance arts: paintings, video clips of ballets and operas
8) Romeo and Juliet (1595)
Paintings of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence, the reconciliation of the two families, etc.
Films directed by George Cukior (1936) vs. Franco Zeffirelli (1968)
How to Read a Film by Monaco: excerpts
SHOT BY SHOT ANALYSIS OF A SCENE FROM A FILM (2 pp.)
Video clips of 1965 Royal Ballet production with Nureyev and Fonteyn
10) The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1600)
Paintings of Hamlet, Ophelia, Claudius, Gertrude, “The Mousetrap,” etc.
Film performances with Olivier (1948) and Branagh (1996) directing and starring
FINAL ESSAY (6-7 pp.)
comparing the portion of a scene in a painting with the same scene in the play and in a film clip
12) The Tempest (1611): the arts within Shakespeare’s final play
~ Paintings of the tempest, Prospero, Miranda and Ferdinand, Caliban, etc.
~ Film directed by Julie Taymor with Helen Mirren (2010) vs. filmed play dir. Des McAnuff
with Christopher Plummer (Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival 2010; DVD 2011)
14) Review of possible approaches to Shakespeare and the arts including various relationships among
audience, substance, technique, style, form, genre, and you
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TAKE-HOME FINAL (OPTIONAL FOCUSED REVISION OF FINAL ESSAY
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INFORMATION APPLICABLE TO SYLLABI FOR ALL COURSES TAUGHT BY
DR. WILL LEE, Belfer 522, [email protected]
WRITING CENTER
The Wilf Campus Writing Center, located in 202 Furst Hall, can help writers of all levels, including you,
by offering you advice, talking with you, and helping you work on your writing. Over the years, the
writers who have learned the most have combined the first year writing course with the Writing Center
and a writing and revision journal. Trained faculty and peer tutors can work with you on brainstorming,
organization, argumentation, elimination of errors, or any other aspect of the writing process. They
won’t edit or correct one of your essays, but they will make sure you know how to edit or correct it.
You can sign up for weekly or one-time appointments by visiting http://yu.edu/wilf/writingcenter/.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
YU and YC expect each student to uphold the highest standards of academic and personal integrity.
Plagiarism and other forms of cheating offend against the truth, rights to property, and halacha (R.
Moshe Feinstein) as well as both academic and personal integrity. They will not be tolerated; in fact,
President Joel has mandated a zero tolerance policy requiring expulsion. Yeshiva College long ago
adopted a range of penalties ranging from a reduction of the overall grade to expulsion. If you have any
questions or run into any tricky issues, please discuss them with me as well as with each other.
POLICIES FOR ALL MY COURSES
 Longer papers count more than shorter ones; papers later in the term build on earlier skills and
count somewhat more.
 Turn in assignments on the due date or lose a third of a grade for each class session the
assignment is late.
 No use of electronic devices other than laptops, which should be used only in connection with
the course.
 No food or drink unless your schedule permits you NO other time for dinner.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Relatively new, this center helps you prepare for your future as you apply for internships, write your
resume, go for interviews, and think about how to get the most out of your education. Visit
http://yu.edu/CDC/.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
If you are a student with a learning disability enrolled in any course, you have the right to document
your disability and request on that basis any reasonable disability-related accommodation. To find out
more, please make an appointment with the Office of Disability Services (116 Laurel Hill Terrace, Suite
B, Tel. 646-592-4280, Abigail Kelsen, Director, [email protected]), preferably during the first week of
the semester. (Web: http://yu.edu/student-life/new-to-yu/disability-services/) Once you have been
approved for accomodations, please submit your accommodations letter to me and your other professors
as soon as possible to ensure successful implementation within your courses.
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