Elizabethtown College English Department

For those who are up to a bit of a challenge, learning to analyze the great Shakespeare plays can be important highlight of your education. For many, it is among the most memorable experiences in the English major.

What to Expect from EN420

Each fall, professor of English Louis Martin teaches British Literature (pre1800): Shakespeare, also known as English 420. As a class that covers the close analysis of about seven Shakespeare plays during the semester, the challenging course load can be exhausting. It’s the kind of class that is rewarding and insightful to literature-loving English majors.

Because Martin teaches two Shakespeare classes, one 100-level course and one 400-level course, he said he tries to choose different plays to stay away from overlap. This way, a student can take both courses and have a different experience each time.

In the 400-level course, which also counts as a Signature Learning Experience, he enjoys covering plays that are well-known and can offer a blend of tragedy and comedy. So by taking the class, you’ll likely find yourself reading texts like Hamlet, Othello, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, and other fascinating tales.

The course is fast-paced, filled with daring poetry analysis and thought-provoking class discussion that will likely have you hearing Shakespearean monologues in your dreams by mid-semester. Over the course of the semester, you’ll write an academic paper on a Shakespeare play topic of your choice and later build on that paper as you analyze and gather research.

Junior professional writing major Samuel Jarvis said that, because he had never taken a class with Martin, he went in with “no expectations” and “no hesitations.” He had some experience with Shakespeare in high school, but it was a different experience to the deeper intense look at the seven plays he read in Martin’s class.

“It broke my procrastination habit,” he said with a laugh.

The Keys to Success

According to Martin, he works to teach students “the desire to keep reading, go back and reread, to watch as much Shakespeare as possible, and to become familiar with new plays.” Just as importantly, he hopes everyone in his class will find some sense of fun and enjoyment in looking deeply into the material. If you are planning on taking the class, he says that the best way to prepare yourself is to study poetry and start thinking about it critically.

Junior English secondary education major Dana Foedisch expressed her appreciation for Martin’s discussion-based classroom setting and the course material. “It’s just so in-depth with analysis, which I love,” she said. She noted that his expectations for students to show up prepared for each class helped her stay up to date on her work.

Similarly, junior professional writing major Danielle Brendle spoke positively about Martin’s class. She said that he makes his students work hard, but that there is a “method to his madness.” She added that the work will pay off in the end if students go into the class prepared to put in plenty of time and effort.

Shakespeare plays contain the kind of insight into humanity and language that we can all benefit from in some way or another. So as far as Martin is concerned, it pays to give the class a try even if you aren’t sure about it. As he says, Shakespeare’s work is “not only important today, but it was important yesterday and will be important tomorrow.”

Author Bio:

Amanda Jobes is a professional writing student.