Mediating Shakespeare (Literatur-/Kulturdidaktik)

More than 400 years after Shakespeare's death, the Bard's astounding contemporaneity is still tangible everywhere. Many theatres regularly offer new stage versions of his plays, critical studies on his life and works abound, 'serious' and popular artists alike engage with his legacy. Considering this Renaissance writer's lasting popularity, it is no small wonder, therefore, that Shakespeare has also remained an integral part of advanced secondary education (although, unfortunately, he has been taken out of the core curriculum).

This course is specifically designed as a 'Kulturdidaktik'-Seminar for LABG 2009/2016 students (Modul 10, HRSGe and GyGe/BK). After introductory sessions on the theoretical basics of Literaturdidaktik and Kulturdidaktik, we will read selected plays (The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello), watch selected film adaptations and consider how Shakespeare can be taught at school.

As a non-obligatory extra, we also offer a field trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s hometown (see section “Field Trip”).

Field Trip

The seminar will be complemented by a (non-obligatory) 6-day field trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, which will take place 30.01. -  04.02.2024, i.e., in the last week of the winter term. In cooperation with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, we will watch performances of The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Stratford (in The Swan Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, respectively), both performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. We will also attend seminars and workshops, and visit some of Stratford's outstanding Shakespearean landmarks. In addition, we plan on organizing a trip to London to see another Shakespeare play, Othello, in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe.

The trip must be financed by the participants themselves. However, we will apply for additional funding. In addition, it has to be borne in mind that the performances, the visits to the museums and the workshops in Stratford are already relatively cheap because the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is itself a charity whose offers are subsidized. All in all, we assume that the costs per person will be around 500 Euros, including the flight (which has to be booked by students individually), accommodation, the tickets and the workshops. However, note that this is just a rough estimate based on previous field trips.

If you are interested in joining the trip, please write an email to gerold.sedlmayrtu-dortmundde or cyprian.piskurektu-dortmundde until 30.09.2023. Participants of the seminar will be prioritized, but other students (of English) may come along as well.

With a view to the field trip we offer as a non-obligatory extra (see section “Description”), we intend to read the comedies The Merchant of Venice and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as the tragedy Othello.

The primary texts will be provided on Moodle. However, if you want to buy a critical edition of Shakespeare’s works (and if you buy one, it should definitely be a scholarly edition), please choose the following:

Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare (3rd ed). Edited by Stephen Greenblatt et al., Norton, 2016. (ISBN 9780393934991)