This course offers an in-depth survey of the work of William Shakespeare, plausiblyregarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. Students will examine a range of Shakespeares works, from early plays heavily influenced by classical models through his great comedies and tragedies to his late romances. The course will consider these works in the context of political, religious, and cultural issues of Shakespeares time and in light of particular thematic concerns recurring in Shakespeares work. We will analyze the plays both as dramatic works intended to be performed and as literary productions that reward careful close reading.