William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the greatest dramatist —even the greatest writer— of all time. His impact on Western culture and language is unmistakable, but his works have also been continuously read and performed around the world, illustrating his global significance. This course is focussed on the close reading of three plays whose main are topics are power and leadership. Hamlet is a tragedy that is linked to modernity: its hero faces doubt and resistance to reality by refusing the codes of the past. In Julius Caesar, ambition and power are mixed up with patriotism and honour to represent the crisis of man and the institutions of the past. And finally, Henry V presents a positive hero who is able to lead an entire nation in an almost impossible task, giving a unique model for teaching leadership in business administration and management courses.
Primary sources:
W. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Marsilio, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Garzanti, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Henry V, Garzanti, English-Italian text
Secondary sources:
M. Stanco (a cura di), La letteratura inglese dall'Umanesimo al
Rinascimento, Carocci, 2016
Bill Bryson, Il mondo è teatro, Tea, 2008.
Further study materials for each play will be given to students during the teaching semester.