5088 - Shakespeare's Comedies
In-Person Course | Registration opens 9/8/2026 10:00 AM EDT
This short course will examine the conventions of romantic comedy that were created by Greek dramatists in Athens, worked and reworked by Shakespeare in 15 plays, and employed more than 2,000 years later by script writers in Hollywood. We will then look at two of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies (Midsummer Night’s Dream and As You Like It), a problem comedy (The Merchant of Venice), and a late romance (The Winter’s Tale). The discussions will be supplemented by selections from filmed performances of the plays.
Participants are encouraged to read the four comedies prior to the classes in which they will be discussed. Additional readings will be provided on the course webpage.
This course will be offered in-person at George Mason University.
Michael Collins
Michael Collins is teaching professor of English and dean emeritus at Georgetown University. He is editor of Shakespeare’s Sweet Thunder: Essays on the Early Comedies; Reading What’s There: Essays on Shakespeare in Honor of Stephen Booth; and (with Michael Scott) Christian Shakespeare: Question Mark. He has published numerous essays on Shakespeare and regularly reviews productions for the Shakespeare Bulletin. He has taught courses for secondary school teachers at the Folger Shakespeare Library and Shakespeare’s Globe in London.