A compressed and rapid survey of some of the major issues in The Merchant of Venice

We complete our analysis of the story arc of Midsummer Night's Dream, an arc formed out of a mosaic of characters, consider especially the relationship between our interest in the erotic life of others, and the experience of theater. We end by discussing the melancholy elements of the play which give its moments of happiness both depth and value.

We conclude our discussion of Richard II and segue elegantly into a discussion of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Discussion of Richard's last soliloquy, and other laments about nothingness, and subjectivity.

We continue our consideration of Richard II, and the deep and complex chess game, played both in private and in public, between Richard and Bullingbrook, with Mowbray and Gaunt as their pawns.

We begin considering Richard II and Shakespeare's work generally via Sonnet 73 ("That time of year"), which introduces us to Shakespeare's thinking about time.