Intrigue is a planned, cleverly executed and consequential deception to the detriment of others. As such, it is an integral element in the plot of many tragedies and comedies. The focus of this class is on the scheming in revenge tragedies (with a short foray into the intrigue plots found in comedies). This means that we will analyse the intricate plotting and counter-plotting in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy. Apart from identifying typical constituents and patterns of intrigue and assessing their entertainment value, we will consider the thematic and ideological functions attached to the presented machinations.
Participants should acquire the following paperback edition: The Arden Shakespeare Third Series, Hamlet, ed. by Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor. As regards Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy, any well-annotated edition is suitable.
Assessment/requirements:
Übung: test at the end of term
Seminar: 12-page research paper
- Kursleiter/in: Uwe Gerd Klawitter