Shakespeare's Villains
Event Details
Richard III. Edmund the Bastard. Iago. Tamora, Queen of the Goths: these villains’ ruthless exploits elicit shudders even while their charisma and intelligence drive us to feel something more complex. In this session, we will consider great speeches by two of Shakespeare’s most nuanced villains—the Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III) in Richard III and Edmund the Bastard in King Lear. We will discuss the genius of Shakespeare’s wordplay in ‘Now is the winter of our discontent’ (Richard III) and ‘Now gods, stand up for bastards!’ (King Lear) and examine the rich, dense character development in each. Together, we will consider the extent to which Shakespeare’s villains in these two plays are purely evil and examine why we are drawn to them despite their wickedness.
Please note, you do not have to be familiar with the plays under discussion to enjoy the session although, of course, any knowledge you bring about the works will be most welcome.
JOINING DETAILS:
- Two-hour study session on Zoom led by Julie Sutherland
- Sunday 11 February 2024, 2.00-4.00 pm (UK)
- £30.00 for two hour study (OR register for this study and Shakespeare’s Romantics together for a discounted rate of £55.00)
