Hamnet
鈥淚n the 1580s, a couple living in Henley Street, Stratford, had three children: Susanna, then Hamnet and Judith, who were twins.
The boy, Hamnet, died in 1596, aged eleven.
Four years or so later, the father wrote a play called Hamlet.鈥
So writes Maggie O鈥橣arrell, author of the multi-award winning novel, Hamnet (2020), which tells the story of the personal circumstances that might have fed into the tone and the subject matter of William Shakespeare鈥檚 most celebrated play of Hamlet. In this course, we will perform a careful and thorough close reading of O鈥橣arrell鈥檚 Hamnet, we will examine some of the historical documents utilised by O鈥橣arrell to bring Shakespeare鈥檚 family to life, and we will also read Shakespeare鈥檚 Hamlet. The questions animating and directing our study are: what makes a successful creative response? What can historical records like letters, wills, petitions, applications, inventories, accounts, and dedications tell us about past lives, feelings, and experiences? And how can we (as modern readers and scholars) intervene and participate in the Shakespeare story?
Assessment
Participation 20%
Group Presentation 20%
Close Reading In-Class Essay 20%
Term Paper 40%
Prerequisites
- Registration in an English Major or Joint Honours plan
