Shakespeare: Context and Stagecraft
Explore Shakespeare’s stagecraft through three of his most well-known plays: Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth.
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
3 hoursLanguages
English, Italiano, EspañolEnglish, Italiano, Español
Shakespeare: Context and Stagecraft
Other courses you might like
This course isn't running right now. We can email you when it starts again, or check out these other courses you might like.
Browse more in Literature and Creative Arts & Media
Study fascinating theatrical and social contexts that shaped Shakespeare’s plays
On this course, you’ll explore the language, themes, and contexts of three of Shakespeare’s most widely studied and frequently performed plays.
You’ll consider the different performance choices they offer and learn about the theatrical practices that influenced Shakespeare’s stagecraft.
This course will complement curriculums across the globe while offering students the chance to delve deeper into areas that schools often don’t have time to cover, such as performance, dramaturgy, and context.
The course can be taken remotely by an entire class, offering students the option to learn together during the disruption of their studies due to COVID-19.
What topics will you cover?
- Shakespeare’s stagecraft
- Early modern performance conditions and Shakespeare’s plays
- Language and how it creates meaning
- Historical and literary context of the plays
- The afterlives of Shakespeare’s plays
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explore the language and themes of Shakespeare’s plays
- Identify early modern performance practices and how they contributed to Shakespeare’s stagecraft
- Explain the plays’ social and historical context
- Compare different performance choices
Who is the course for?
This course is primarily designed for those studying or teaching Shakespeare as part of the school curriculum.
The course is also suitable for anyone new to Shakespeare, as well as those looking to refresh their knowledge.
Who will you learn with?
I am Professor of English and Director of the London Shakespeare Centre at King's College London and academic director, Shakespeare400. I have published widely on Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
Gemma Miller is a Lecturer in Early Modern Literature and Culture at King's College London
Who developed the course?
King's College London
King’s College London, established in 1829 and a founding college of the University of London, is one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities, based in the very heart of London.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
Learner reviews
Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.
Join the conversation on social media
You can use the hashtag #FLShakespeare to talk about this course on social media.