ENGL 425/525: Shakespeare and Ovid

Course Description

The Roman poet Ovid--author of the Metamorphoses, as well as numerous love lyrics--was Shakespeare's favorite poet, and he was, without a doubt, the most important literary influence on Shakespeare's poetry and drama. Ovid's vivid description, sharp wit, and unrestrained eroticism strongly appealed to Shakespeare, and it is difficult to find a work by Shakespeare that is not touched in some way by an Ovidian allusion or stylistic flourish. In this course we will read several Shakespearean works influenced by Ovid along with with the original Ovidian stories, mostly from the Metamorphoses. Readings will include: Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, Titus Andronicus, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and A Winter's Tale.