How Film Directors Adapt Shakespeare for the Big Screen

Carleton University Winter 2018 Department of English

ENGL 3306A: Shakespeare and Film Prerequisites: third year standing or permission of the department

Monday 11:35-14:25 Location: Please confirm location on Carleton Central

Instructor: Prof. Micheline White Email: [email protected] For emergencies only. I only reply to emails from 9:00-4:30 between Monday and Friday Office: Paterson Hall 2A 45 Phone: ext 1356 Office Hours: TBD

Topic: Shakespeare in Hollywood: How Film Directors Adapt Shakespeare for the Big Screen

In this course we will engage in a close examination of how five dramatic works by William Shakespeare have been adapted into five contemporary films. Students will learn to:

1. carefully analyze the language and themes of five Shakespeare plays. 2. analyze and discuss the way film directors adapt plays to create compelling filmic versions. Students will be asked to think about the script, lighting, music, acting, costumes, and editing. 3. discuss secondary criticism about these adaptations. 4. engage in cultural criticism alone and in small groups Students will create an eportfolio to communicate their research findings and to document their engagement with the material.

Required Texts: You are free to purchase your own editions of Shakespeare’s plays. They must, however, have act, scene, and line numbers. Some movies are on reserve at the library; others are available through iTunes.

Shakespeare, Macbeth; movie directed by Justin Kurzel (2015; available on iTunes). Shakespeare, Othello; movie directed by Oliver Parker (1998; available on iTunes) Shakespeare, Coriolanus; movie directed by Ralph Fiennes (2012; available on iTunes) Shakespeare, The Tempest; movie by Julie Taymor (2011; on iTunes) Shakespeare, Hamlet; movie directed by Kenneth Branagh (1996; on reserve and on iTunes)

Requirements This will vary depending on the size of the class.

1. One (or two) oral presentations (20 minutes each) If you use a powerpoint presentation, you are free to share it on our course eportfolio site. Depending on the size of the group, these will be undertaken alone or in small groups (2-3 students).

2. One (or two) 400 word abstracts summarizing the thesis of your oral presentations. To be posted to the eportfolio group by 6:00 PM the day BEFORE your presentation. Your peers will read it before coming to class.

3. One (or two) seminar papers based on your oral presentations. (2000 words)

4. One oral summary of a secondary source (5 minutes)

5. Attendance and contributions to the discussion