Reading Thesis in Shakespeare and Shakespearean Criticism

Abstract

This thesis, done in conjunction with Dr. Waring's English 104 class, was a private study of Othello, Troilus and Cressida, Measure for Measure, King Lear, Antony and Clleopatry, Coriolanus, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest along with selected l1terary criticism of the works. The majority of the time employed in this effort was spent in the reading and re-reading of the individual plays along with their source materials, the reading of selected literary criticism. the attendance of Dr. Waring's Shakespeare course and a series of private conferences with Dr. Waring discussing the criticism. Although a basic familiarity with the criticism was a partial goal in this project, independence from these secondary sources and an ability to reach an understanding of the plays solely from the study of the plays themselves was also a goal. The final product of this species of thesis is, therefore, rather abstract and is not presentable in written form other than the annotated bibliography of the literature studied which follows.