English 510--Fall 1999
Shakespeare and the Bible

syllabus [11/8/99]


Wk  Date  Topic  Activity  Work due  Additional Resources 
I  9/21  Introduction 

Shakespeare and the Bible

Literature and the Bible

 Two Big Books--Artifacts and Apparatus

Introduction to 510 website in 10-126
 
 

 

   Introductory and reference materials

Materials in Kennedy Library

  9/23  The Tempest
  • Prospero's powers
  • Vertical and horizontal structures
  • Masque
 Opening scenes 

Paintings and stagings

Video selections--BBC and Prospero's Books

Prospero and his subjects

Lecture notes

Read The Tempest complete

Read Shakespeare and the Bible*chapter 1

Frye, Shakespeare 171-186
 
 
 
 

 
II  9/28  Genesis 
  • Coherence and incoherence--the divisions of Genesis
  • Narrative techniques
  • Methods of interpretation
  • Creation/destruction
  • Rebellion/obedience
 		 Plots, characters, themes: 
  • Reading Report: The theme of testing and trial [Lydia]
  • Reading Report : The biography of Jacob [Lisa]
  • Critic Report: Fokkelman's essay on Genesis [Andrea]

lecture notes

 Read Genesis chapters 1-36 and 

Harris, Understanding the Bible, 1-51 or 

Oxford Study Bible, 3-33 or 

Alter and Kermode, A Literary Guide to the Bible 600-611, 11-36 

 

 Images of God and Man in the Sistine Chapel Fokkelman, "Genesis" in Alter and Kermode, A Literary Guide to the Bible, 36-56

Robert Alter, Genesis, translation and commentary 

 
  9/30  The Tempest and Genesis: Prosperity and Posterity 
  • God, Joseph and Prospero
  • From myth to history
 The Joseph story  Genesis 37-50 

Shakespeare and the Bible chapter 2

 Multimedia essay on Genesis, The Tempest and Prospero's Books
III  10/5  Henry 5    Read Henry V  
  10/7  Exodus 

lecture notes

midterm exam prep

 Read Exodus complete  
IV  10/12  Henry 5 and the conquerors

topic suggestions for critical paper #1 distributed

lecture notes

 

Numbers 1,2, 9-17

Deuteronomy 34

Joshua 1-6

Judges 1-4, 19-21

Shakespeare and the Bible chapter 3

 Michaelangelo's Moses
  10/14  Biblical History and Shakespeare's History plays 

Midterm exam--one hour

 

  • Reading report: Who is David? [Debra]

1Samuel 15-31

2 Samuel 1-19

1 Kings 1-11

reading notes

 
  • David Evett, "Types of King David in Shakespeare's Lancastrian Tetralogy"
  • Robert Altman, "Introduction" to The David Story

Michaelangelo's David 1, 2, 3,4

Rembrandt's Bathsheba
V  10/19 King Lear Saul and Lear: Mad Kings and Tragedy Read King Lear

Rembrandt's Saul and David

.  10/21 Job 
  • Reading Report: The Voice in the Whirlwind--God's poetry [Geneva version and gloss]
 Read Job 1-31; 38-44  
 VI  10/26  Job and King Lear   

Shakespeare and the Bible,chapter 4

critical paper 1 due
  • Peter Milward, from, Biblical Influences in Shakespeare's Great Tragedies 
  • Jan Cott. "King Lear or Endgame," in Shakespeare, Our Contemporary
  10/28  Measure for Measure    Read Measure for Measure   
 VII 11/2 Matthew 
  • Reading report: Jesus' relationships with God, friends and enemies [Heather]
Read Matthew  
  11/4 Matthew and Measure for Measure    Read Shakespeare and the Bible, chapter 5
  • Roy Battenhouse, "Measure for Measure and the Atonement"
  • Alexander Leggatt, "Substitution in Measure for Measure"
VIII  11/9  The Merchant of Venice  suggestions for topics on critical paper #2 Read The Merchant of Venice   
. 11/11 Holiday--no class      
IX 11/16 Romans 
  • Reading Report --Jews in Romans [Debbi]
 Read Romans  
  11/18 The Merchant of Venice and Romans    Read Shakespeare and the Bible, chapter 6
  • James Shapiro, Shakespeare and the Jews-, 113-146
X  11/23  Revelation
  • Reading report: Revelation and Exodus
read Revelation  
  11/25  No class       
XI  11/30  The Tempest   

reread The Tempest

Shakespeare and the Bible chapter 7

  
  12/2 

The Tempest and Revelation 

Retrospective

     
XII 12/7

Critical paper due

Final exam distributed

      
  12/10 [Friday]

Final exam due

      
Workload
Required reading:
Preferred editions are available at El Corral Bookstore: