The course aims at giving students the possibility to understand Shakespeare's Venetian plays in the context of early modern culture and in relation with the Shakespearean canon. The characters of the two plays will also be read in the light of their ‘Otherness' (Shylock the Jew and Othello the Moor) seen as a feature deriving from the particular idea of Venice as a Renaissance multicultural city and a centre or power. Students of the three curricula will share a common core of readings and then study different secondary literature according to their individual curriculum. To help students contextualize the plays and understand them as such, at least two relevant cinematic versions will be shown (films and videos can be seen at CLA, via Budassi).

The course will be held in English.

1.     Early modern English society

2.     The perception of the Other

3.     Elizabethan theatre and drama

4.     Shakespeare's canon

5.     Venice as a stage

6.     Comedy and tragedy

7.     The Merchant of Venice: the play

8.     The Merchant of Venice: the film

9.     Othello: the play

10.   Othello: the film

Students are required to read the play texts before the lessons start.

Excerpts from videos and films will be shown during classes.

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars

Obblighi

Students are invited to attend lessons.

The list of secondary readings is divided into four parts: the texts listed in the first part must be read by ALL students. In the following three sections (A, B, C) books are listed according to the various curricula.

Since the course includes both play texts and some cinematic versions, students are requested to avail themselves of the falicities of CLA in order to watch the complete films.

Testi di studio

Primary texts (Arden or Oxford editions recommended):
W. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
W. Shakespeare, Othello
Al Pacino (director), The Merchant of Venice, 2004 (the film)
Orson Welles (director), Othello, 1952 9the film)

Secondary texts:
All students have to study what follows:
- M. Marrapodi et al. (eds), Shakespeare's Italy: Functions of Italian Locations in Renaissance Drama, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1997 (chapters 5, 9-12).
- M. Tempera (a cura di), Othello: dal testo alla scena, Bologna, CLUEB, 1983 (chapters by Serpieri, Mullini, Mc Rae, Zacchi, Bassnett, Barker).
- M. Tempera (a cura di), The Merchant of Venice: dal testo alla scena, Bologna, CLUEB, 1994 (chapters by Serpieri, Mullini, Stanco, Restivo, Mucci, Tempera)

A) Students of "Una lingua: testi e contesti" have also to study:
1) A choice of at least 4 (four) essays from EACH of the following volumes:
- Anthony G. Barthelemy (ed.), Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello, New York : G.K. Hall and Co.; Toronto: Maxwell Macmillam, 1994.
- Martin Coyle (ed), The Merchant of Venice, Basingstokes, Macmillan, New Casebooks, 1998.
2) Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1) OR
Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1).

B) Students of "Organizzazione dello spettacolo dal vivo" have also to study:
1) R. Mullini, "Il paradiso perduto, ovvero Othello di Orson Welles", Studi urbinati, anno LXX, pp. 397-414, 2000.
2) Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1 AND chapter 12) - OR
Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1 AND 6).
3) A choice of at least 3 (three) essays from EACH of the following volumes:
- Anthony G. Barthelemy (ed.), Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello, New York : G.K. Hall and Co.; Toronto: Maxwell Macmillam, 1994.
- Martin Coyle (ed), The Merchant of Venice, Basingstokes, Macmillan, New Casebooks, 1998.

C) Students of "Linguistica e didattica delle lingue" have also to study:
1) Rex Gibson, Teaching Shakespeare: A Handbook for Teachers, Cambridge, CUP, 2005 (especially chs. 1-3, 7-9, 11).
2) Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1) OR
Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1).
3) R. Mullini, "Il paradiso perduto, ovvero Othello di Orson Welles", Studi urbinati, anno LXX, pp. 397-414, 2000.

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exams (in English)

Students are kindly requested to bring the list of their readings with them

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Modalità didattiche

Lectures and seminars

Non attending students are warmly advised to get in touch with professor Mullini either by phone during the office hours, or by e-mail.

Obblighi

The list of readings is divided into four parts: the texts listed in the first part must be read by ALL students. In the following three sections (A, B, C) books are listed according to the various curricula.

 

Since the course includes both play texts and some cinematic versions, students are advised to avail themselves of the falicities of CLA in order to watch the complete films.

Testi di studio

Primary texts (Arden or Oxford editions recommended) for all students:

W. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

W. Shakespeare, Othello

Al Pacino (director), The Merchant of Venice,2004 (the film)

Orson Welles (director), Othello,1952  (the film)

Secondary texts:

All students have to study what follows:

- M. Marrapodi et al. (eds), Shakespeare's Italy: Functions of Italian Locations in Renaissance Drama, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1997 (chapters 3, 5, 9-12).

- M. Tempera (a cura di), Othello: dal testo alla scena, Bologna, CLUEB, 1983 (chapters by Serpieri, Mullini, Mc Rae, Zacchi, Bassnett, Barker).

- M. Tempera (a cura di), The Merchant of Venice: dal testo alla scena, Bologna, CLUEB, 1994 (chapters by Serpieri, Mullini, Stanco, Restivo, Mucci, Tempera)

A) Students of "Una lingua: testi e contesti" have also to study:

1) A choice of at least 6(six) essays from EACH of the following volumes:

- Anthony G. Barthelemy (ed.), Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello, New York : G.K. Hall and Co.; Toronto: Maxwell Macmillam, 1994.

- Martin Coyle (ed), The Merchant of Venice, Basingstokes, Macmillan, New Casebooks, 1998.

2) - Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1) 

- Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1).

B) Students of  "Organizzazione dello spettacolo dal vivo" have also to study:

1) R. Mullini, "Il paradiso perduto, ovvero Othello di Orson Welles", Studi urbinati, anno LXX, pp. 397-414, 2000.

2) Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1 AND chapter 12) 

- Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1 AND 6).

3) A choice of at least 4 (four) essays from EACH of the following volumes:

- Anthony G. Barthelemy (ed.), Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello, New York : G.K. Hall and Co.; Toronto: Maxwell Macmillam, 1994.

- Martin Coyle (ed), The Merchant of Venice, Basingstokes, Macmillan, New Casebooks, 1998.

C) Students of  "Linguistica e didattica delle lingue" have also to study:

1) Rex Gibson, Teaching Shakespeare: A Handbook for Teachers, Cambridge, CUP, 2005 (the whole volume).

2) Jack J. Jorgens, Shakespeare on Film, New York, Lanham, 1991 (chapter 1) 

- Anthony Davies, Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge, CUP, 1988 (ch. 1).

Modalità di
accertamento

Oral exams (in English)

Students are kindly requested to bring the list of their readings with them

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Possible changes will be inserted into professor Mullini's 'Materiale didattico' on the Faculty web site. Therefore students are invited to check that page, especially before starting studying for the exam.