School of English
Module manager: Professor Paul Hammond
Email: p.f.hammond@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
ENGL3017
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module explores approximately eight plays from across Shakespeare’s career and the different genres in which he wrote: comedy, tragedy, history, and romance. These are studied in ways which highlight their language, form, philosophy, thematic content, stagecraft, and ongoing cultural significance. The lectures will explore the plays as texts, as scripts for performance, as works produced within specific historical contexts, and as the objects of very different kinds of critical appropriation. Practical drop-ins will give students the option to explore performance-based approaches. Module assessments offer the choice of either focusing on literary analysis and essay writing or of developing practical / performance-based work. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The purpose of this module is to encourage students to think carefully about a representative range of Shakespeare's plays; to develop their critical understanding of the texts; to explore the social, intellectual and cultural contexts in which they were produced; and to consider their continuing cultural significance.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate critical knowledge and understanding of complex texts.
2. Evaluate criticism about Shakespeare and his social, intellectual, and cultural contexts, and make informed selection between different critical, theoretical, and practical approaches.
3. Present close analysis to a high level of intellectual and professional competence.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Conduct independent research, gathering information from a range of sources, and engaging in good academic practice in referencing their sources.
2. Demonstrate advanced proficiency in critical thinking.
3. Communicate ideas and insights clearly and persuasively.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Lecture | 16 | 1 | 16 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 170 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Formative feedback is provided in weekly seminars and through individual meetings between student and tutor as required. Summative feedback for the first assessment acts as formative feedback for the second.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Close Reading or Research Proposal | 30 |
| Coursework | Essay or Portfolio | 70 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 08/05/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team