This syllabus outlines an English course titled "Studies in Shakespeare" that will examine Shakespeare's influence on contemporary culture. The class will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:30-3:20 am via Zoom. Students will read and analyze four of Shakespeare's plays and their modern adaptations in various media. Assessment will include response papers, online discussions of examples of Shakespeare in popular culture, a midterm analysis paper, a creative assignment, and a final portfolio reflecting on Shakespeare's ongoing cultural significance. The instructor emphasizes civil discourse, prohibits plagiarism, and provides information on disability accommodations.

1. English 345: Studies in Shakespeare
Syllabus
Instructor: Victoria M. Arthur, PhD
varthur@uidaho.edu
Class Meeting: MWF 2:30 – 3:20 am
Course Description
Why should we study Shakespeare? Does Shakespeare have any meaning in this post-
Covid/climate change/whatever world? Up until now I had whole-heartedly believed the
platitudes about the “universality of Shakespeare’s works for all humankind.” But does that
hold true? What that ever true? What does Shakespeare have to offer us in the challenging
beginning of the 21st century? And thus I found the focus of our course: to understand
Shakespeare’s influence on contemporary culture. You don’t have to enjoy Shakespeare’s
plays or even particularly admire them, but we are going to work at seeing him in popular
culture. This class invites you to figure out for yourself why you think his works still seem
to resonate for us across time, space, and culture.
Learning Outcomes
• Develop and articulate your own theory about Shakespeare’s influence on popular
culture.
• Write about literature and literary topics for academic and non-academic audiences.
• Learn and apply theories of adaptation, intertextuality and interpretation.
Texts and Materials
Folger Shakespeare Editions:
Hamlet
Romeo & Juliet
Macbeth
The Tempest
(These texts are available for free or purchase at https://shakespeare.folger.edu/ . I
suggest you purchase print copies (they are $9.99 each) but it is your choice.)
Films:
Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with Tim Roth and Gary Oldman
Scotland, PA
Novels:

2. Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed (ISBN: 978-0-8041-4131-4)
Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven (ISBN: 978-0-8041-7244-8)
Course Expectations
Class Meetings: we will via zoom during class time, MWF 2:30 – 3:20 am. This time is for
class discussion. You are expected to have read or viewed the text for the day and be
prepared to share your ideas and questions.
Strong Responses (50 points each/200 points total): a two- to three-page
reflection/response to each play will be due the second week of each unit. A strong
response is a slightly more crafted, longer reading response. It may be exploratory in
nature; you do not need a formal thesis, but it should hang together as a cohesive whole.
This is a place for you to consider what you think the text means and how it makes
meaning, how it affects you and why, how it has been adapted and/or translated, etc.
Shakespeare in Our World Padlet (25 points per unit/100 points total): Padlet is an app
that functions like a bulletin board. We will be using it to post examples of Shakespeare in
the world around us. It is fun and easy to use (and if I can use it, you know it’s user-
friendly!). You are expected to post one example and respond to two other posts by the
final class meeting of each unit. Once you start looking, you will see references to
Shakespeare all over the place; pay attention and share what you find with the rest of us.
Mid-Term Analysis Paper (100 points): a five- or six-page formal analytical essay. You
may choose one of the following options:
• A literary analysis of an element of Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet
• A scene analysis of a scene from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern or Baz Luhrmann’s
Romeo + Juliet
• A translation analysis of Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern or Romeo and
Juliet and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. I am also open to students choosing a
movie we are not studying (like West Side Story, anyone?). If you are considering a
translation analysis of a different film, email me for approval before you begin.
Creative Assignment (100 points): This is an opportunity to stretch yourself academically
and/or creatively. You may choose from the following options:
• Annotated Bibliography – identify and summarize five sources on a topic related to
Shakespeare. You could choose a topic like sources for teaching Shakespeare or
focus on a particular theoretical perspective.
• Creative Adaptation: using one or more elements from Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet,
Macbeth, or The Tempest, write a version based in a different time, place or culture.
• Personal Essay – write a personal essay (at least five or so pages) on a theme or idea
from Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, or The Tempest. For example, for Hamlet
you could choose the supernatural, convents in Renaissance England, grief, etc.

3. • Scholarly Article Summary and Rhetorical Analysis – if you would prefer to go deep
rather than broad, choose a scholarly article on one of the plays we’re studying and
write a summary of the argument and a rhetorical analysis of how the argument is
put together.
Final Portfolio (200 points): A 8-page reflective letter in which you explain and support
your theory of Shakespeare’s on-going cultural significance using supporting evidence from
your work over the semester.
Class Policies
University of Idaho Classroom Learning Civility Clause
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as
free and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in
this course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all
of us (students, instructors, professors, guests, and teaching assistants) will be respectful
and civil to one another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and
respect, please meet with me during office hours to discuss your concern. Additional
resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the Dean of Students
office and staff (5-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s confidential services (5-
6716), or the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, & Inclusion (5-4285).
Plagiarism
It is academically dishonest, and sometimes illegal, to present someone else’s ideas or
writing as your own. Ignorance is not a defense: it is your responsibility to make sure you
use proper citation, so get assistance (from me, for example) if you are unsure.
Sometimes students plagiarize because they do not feel they can complete the assignment.
If you have concerns about the quality of your work or your ability to meet deadlines,
please talk to me about it. There is always a better alternative than plagiarism, which may
cause you to fail the assignment or the course and will be reported to the Dean of Students.
For more information see the Plagiarism Policy on the English Department website:
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/english/comp/plagiarism.htm.
Disability Accommodation
The University of Idaho is committed to providing equal and integrated access for
individuals with disabilities. This commitment is consistent with legal requirements,
including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) of 1990, and embodies the university’s historic determination to ensure the
inclusion of all members of its communities.
If you have a disability that you feel may impair your ability to complete the work in this
course as it is designed, please let me know as soon as possible. All accommodations must

4. be approved through the Center for Disability Access and Resources located in the Idaho
Commons, Room 333, 885-6307.