Shakespeare introduces students to one of the greatest dramatists of all time. Students read, watch, and critically study Shakespeare’s works, with emphasis on his plays. The course exposes students to the major genres (tragedy, comedy, history, and romance), giving them ways to analyze and interpret drama and its elements (e.g., character, plot, setting, tone, theme, design, symbol, style, stagecraft, dialog, and props). Students acquire a critical vocabulary, learning to discuss and appreciate the plays from both literary and performance perspectives.