A9. Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra

Antony and Cleopatra is Shakespeare’s last great tragedy.  But commentators from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries rejected Cleopatra as a heroic figure, saw Shakespeare’s dramatic structure as disordered, and dismissed the play as not a “true tragedy.”  Thus, Antony and Cleopatra became Shakespeare’s least known “great” play until our current times reclaimed this amazing drama. Shakespeare’s assaults on dualisms such as masculine/feminine, ration/intuitive and comic/tragic make it great.

ZOOM LINK: Sent to paid and registered members before the start of course.

INSTRUCTOR:  Helen Whall received her PhD from Yale University in 1976 and then joined the faculty of the College of the Holy Cross until her retirement in 2017. She taught courses in Shakespeare, Renaissance Drama, Modern Drama, Law and Drama, and Dramatic Comedy.  She has one published book and a number of essays on Shakespeare and other forms of drama and has served as the theater reviews editor for Theatre Journal.

REQUIRED BOOK:  Folger Edition of Antony and Cleopatra.