EGL 209 - (206) The 1590s

Course Units: 1

(Not offered in 2015-16) Offered twice every four years. Early modern London was a place in which everyone-from the queen to courtiers to poets- could see herself or himself as an “actor on the stage.” It was a culture in which role-playing was a necessary and dangerous art, one that led to both paranoia and creativity. In this course we’ll explore a wide variety of Renaissance poses and impersonations: portraits and speeches of Queen Elizabeth (as well as recent film treatments of her); sophisticated and scandalous love poetry; the advice given to young ladies and courtiers on how to protect themselves from vicious gossip and dazzle their onlookers; and audacious works of theater. Course authors include Sidney, Marlowe, Spenser, Shakespeare, Castiglione, and Queen Elizabeth. Common Curriculum CC: HUL