Shakespeare exposes students to the works of the playwright, with emphasis on his plays. Students study the major genres (tragedy, comedy, history, and romance), which give them ways to analyze and interpret drama and its elements. The course introduces students to the social and cultural characteristics of the Early Modern Period and to the biography of the author. No previous knowledge of Shakespeare is assumed. NOTE: Shakespeare at WMCC is a 4-credit course that screens each of the plays, enabling students to study Shakespeare from both literary and performance perspectives.