ESAA57 Shakespeare's Moral Philosophy in Macbeth and Othello

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2017
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Petr Osolsobě, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Osolsobě, Ph.D.
Department of Aesthetics – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Ing. Ivana Vašinová
Supplier department: Department of Aesthetics – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each odd Thursday 14:10–15:45 U36
Prerequisites
Study literature, discussions and examination in English only. Course is a very good way to develop advanced academic reading abilities in classical literature. Students must be able to present and defend their own opinions and to accept constructive criticism and advice. Tackling topics in depth and defending the arguments in their written work sharpens their thinking.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
In his works, Shakespeare reflects on different forms, causes and types of good and evil: physical, psychic, social, metaphysical etc. Students are introduced into analysis of those phenomena according to concepts and standards of Shakespeare's time, so that they are provided with effective tools for deeper understanding of the ethico-religious characteristic of his work and its central position in the history of the Western Christian art.
Syllabus
  • Shakespeare's Philosophy of Love and Grace Analysis of Good and Evil and its effects in 1) structure of human personality, 2) social structure, 3) metaphysical order
  • free will and the reality of sin, randomness of evil vs. necessity (according to Aristotle), evil as a deficiency of the good (Augustinian principle)
  • evil as a lack of co-ordination; transgression of the order of love
  • evil as mental illness, demonic possession, fear from the good,
  • catharsis, healing and recovery, the necessity of grace
  • Shakespeare plays in the analysis: Macbeth and Othello read in seminar together in original version.
Literature
  • William Shakespeare Macbeth (Variant.) : Shakespeare : Macbeth. info
  • William Shakespeare, Macbeth. Edited by Kathleen McLuskie. Horndon: Northcote House, 2009, viii, 154. ISBN 9780746312322. info
  • SHAKESPEARE, William. The tempest. Edited by Stephen Orgel. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987, x, 248. ISBN 0192814508. info
Teaching methods
Lecture, textual analysis, discussion, examination.All in English.
Assessment methods
colloquium, each student will choose a piece of Shakespeare that he/she will be able to interpret
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: Lectures, literature, discussions and examination in English.
The course is taught only once.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Lectures, literature, discussions and examination in English.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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