Early Modern Tragedy
Tragedy was one of the most popular, varied and innovative genres of the Early Modern period, spanning from the stage-shattering tragic heroes of Christopher Marlowe to the sophisticated and dark visions of intrigue, lust, and revenge of the Jacobean stage. In this course, we will engage with a variety of tragic sub-genres (including revenge tragedy, closet drama, and domestic tragedy) and investigate their varied sources, as well as the cultural and socio-political contexts that influenced both generic conventions and staging practices. We will explore how these texts engage with contemporary debates about the nature of power, justice and revenge, gender and sexuality, legitimacy of rule and personal agency.
Texts:
William Shakespeare, Hamlet (please buy the Arden Shakespeare 3rd Edition),
Anonymous, Arden of Faversham, Elizabeth Carey, The Tragedy of Mariam (both texts are contained in The Routledge Anthology of Renaissance Drama – digital copy available via UB)
Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi (both texts are contained in The Routledge Anthology of Early Modern Drama – digital copy available via UB)
Requirements: Active participation, reading responses, term paper (8–10 pages).