ENGL 7005 The Skull and the Mirror: Theatre, Philosophy, Language
This course explores how theatre translates philosophical questions and predicaments into the language of the stage. Rather than tracing a chronological history, we will look at several key intersections drawn mainly from Shakespeare and modern/contemporary theatre. Our pairings (or triads) may include Plato-as-philosopher and Plato-as-dramatist; Nietzsche and Ibsen; Shakespeare and Ordinary Language Philosophy; Edward Albee and Speech-Act Theory; Beckett, Adorno, and Rancire; Neil LaBute and aesthetic theory; Tom Stoppard and epistemology; Michael Frayn and quantum uncertainty; Caryl Churchill and ethics. This class does not presume any previous background in either western philosophy or drama. All are welcome.
Course overview
- Department
- English
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Periodically in the Fall
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.13 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.13 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 1
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2021 | Andrew Sofer | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 8 of 13 |