William Shakespeare, 1564 – 1616

He was not of an age, but for all time!
– Ben Jonson

 

 

Lecture Series 1: Ancient vs. Modern Regimes

This course focuses on Shakespeare’s understanding of the ancient Roman regime, and its alternatives in what for him was the modern Christian world. [Read More]

Lecture Series 2: The Politics of Genre

The organizing principle of the second set of lectures is genre: English history, comedy, tragedy, and the peculiar form of Shakespeare’s last plays, whether called tragicomedy or romance. [Read More]

Seminar: Shakespeare’s Rome

Shakespeare’s Roman plays are a sustained effort to understand what he and his contemporaries regarded as the most successful political community in antiquity and perhaps all of human history. [Read More]

Introduction

This website features two series of lectures and a seminar given by Professor Paul Cantor on Shakespeare and politics. There are many ways to approach Shakespeare’s plays… [Read More]

Featured Video

What can Shakespeare teach us about politics? Paul Cantor explains.

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