This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar focuses on how even noble men like Brutus become corrupted by the lust for power and harm their country under the pretense of doing good for it. At the same time, the play subtly presents the will of Christ as the ultimate force which drives history, using flawed men like Caesar as its instruments for good.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: Ability to read the books, underline and take notes and ask questions.
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: 1/2 semester credit. Combine with Henry V for 1 full credit
Description
Julius Caesar focuses on how noble men like Brutus become corrupted by the lust for power and attack their country under the pretense of doing good for it. Such a theme is constantly relevant to political life. At the same time, the play subtly presents the will of Christ as the ultimate force which drives history, using flawed men as its instruments for good. There is great enjoyment in seeing how Shakespeare roused the spirits of his many fellow Catholics by telling the truth in his time, while remaining largely immune from censorship or martyrdom. Dr. Russell, who has taught and written on the Catholic Shakespeare since 1992, will show that only when we bring a carefully Catholic view to the plays, do they make complete sense and do not break down into a mere series of unanswered questions and scattered themes.
Outline
Class I: IF you have not taken a Shakespeare class with me before, view “The Catholic Shakespeare Biography,” embedded on Moodle and listen to the recording, For ALL students: Read Act 1.
Class II: Act II
Class III Act III
Class IV: Act IV
Class V: Act V
Class VI: General Topics (NO Reading, or, rereading for pleasure)
Materials and Homework
Course materials: Any edition with Act, Scene divisions and line numbers is fine.
Homework: Expect to spend about one and one-half hours per week outside of class on reading and notetaking. There will be weekly automated-graded quizzes available for immediate feedback if you want them, as well as an exam at the end of the course. Please come to the classes with thoughts and questions about what you have read.
