Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Shakespeare & Rome (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 4320-01

Course: ENGL 4320-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ENGL
CRN: 32280

Course Description

A variable topics seminar in the works of William Shakespeare. May be repeated once with a different topic. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 2400 and ENGL 2700.
This course examines multiple dimensions of Shakespeare's engagement with classical Rome, including how Shakespeare and his contemporaries adapted and transformed Roman sources. Through close reading, discussion, and research, students will analyze how Shakespeare's Roman works engage with complex questions of political authority and imperial power.

Required Texts

  • Folger Library Editions: Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, Troilus and Cressida, Coriolanus, and Julius Caesar
  • Norton Critical Editions: Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
  • Available in Canvas: Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece; Christopher Marlowe’s Dido, Queen of Carthage; Samuel Daniel’s The Tragedy of Cleopatra; and Ben Jonson’s Sejanus, His Fall
  • Additional works not included in the Norton edition of Antony and Cleopatra— including source texts and secondary criticism—are available via pdf. in Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

  • Inquiry and Analysis: Students demonstrate the ability to apply a range of literary theories and/or critical perspectives through close reading and analysis.
  • Communication: Students demonstrate the ability to articulate interpretations and critical positions through presentations and academic essays.
  • Information Literacy: Students demonstrate the ability to conduct scholarly research.

Course Requirements

Critical Responses. These short analytical/interpretive assignments (2-3 pages) ask you to explore an interpretive issue or problem that interests you about the text(s) in question. These responses will help you explore ideas/practice writing in advance of settling on your major essay topic. 30%
Essay. Each of you will write a formal end-of-semester interpretive essay (8-12 pages), supported by your close analysis of one or more of the assigned plays, and utilizing scholarly research (35%). Related assignments will include a draft (10%) and an abstract (5%). 50%
Classroom Engagement. 10% of your grade will be allotted to your day-to-day engagement in large group discussions of the readings (plays, historical documents, and scholarly essays). An additional 10% will be allotted to your actual attendance (including presenting your abstract during the final week of class). 20%

Course Outline

Thanksgiving Break

DatesReading AssignmentsWriting Assignments
W 8/27Intro to Course Material & Requirements
F 8/29Read Warren Cherniak, Chapter 1 of The Myth of Rome in Shakespeare and His Contemporaries (in Canvas) + Honor Cargill-Martin, “The Roman Empire Loved by Elon Musk” (NYT article in Canvas)
M 9/1Labor Day: No Class
W 9/3Titus Andronicus, Acts 1-2
F 9/5Titus, Acts 3-4
M 9/8Titus, Act 5 + Caroline Lamb, “Physical Trauma and (Adapt)ability in Titus Andronicus” (in Canvas)
W 9/10Troilus and Cressida, Act 1
F 9/12Troilus, Acts 2-3Critical Response 1
M 9/15Troilus, Acts 4-5
W 9/17Graham Holderness, “’Our Troy, Our Rome’: Classical Intertextuality in Titus Andronicus” (in Canvas)
F 9/19Christopher Marlowe, Dido, Queen of Carthage, Acts 1-3
M 9/22Dido, Acts 4-5
W 9/24The Rape of Lucrece, lines 1-1210
F 9/26The Rape of Lucrece, 1211 to end + John Kunat, “Rape and Republicanism in Shakespeare’s Lucrece” (in Canvas)Critical Response 2
M 9/29Coriolanus, Acts 1-2
W 10/1Coriolanus, Acts 3-4
F 10/3Coriolanus, Act 5 + Michela Compagnoni, “Blending Motherhoods: Volumnia and the Representation of Maternity in William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus” (in Canvas)
M 10/6Julius Caesar, Acts 1-2
W 10/8Julius Caesar, Acts 3-4
F 10/10Julius Caesar, Act 5 + selections from early modern translations of Plutarch and Suetonius (in Canvas)Critical Response 3
M 10/13No Class: Fall Break
W 10/15Daniel Juan Gil, “’Bare Life’: Political Order and the Specter of Antisocial Being in Julius Caesar” (in Canvas)
F 10/17Discuss Guidelines for Essay
M 10/20Samuel Daniel, The Tragedy of Cleopatra, Acts 1-3
W10/22The Tragedy of Cleopatra, Acts 4-5
F 10/24Read selections from Herodotus and Plutarch + “Early Modern View of Egyptians” (in Canvas)Discuss Research
M 10/27Antony and Cleopatra, Acts 1-2 + Vote on scholarly articles from Norton Critical Edition (either Jonathan Gil Harris or Ania Loomba)
W 10/29Antony and Cleopatra, Acts 3-4
F 10/31Antony and Cleopatra, Act 5 + scholarly essay from the Norton Critical EditionDiscuss Possible Essay Topics | Critical Response 4 Due
M 11/3Read James Shapiro, “2017: Left/Right,” the conclusion of his book, Shakespeare in a Divided America + selections from his introduction (in Canvas)Discuss Essay Organization + Draft Requirements
W 11/5Ben Jonson, Sejanus, Acts 1-2
F 11/7Sejanus, Act 3
M 11/10Sejanus, Acts 4-5
W11/12Discuss Integration of Research
F 11/14No Class: Work on DraftsDraft of Essay Due
M 11/17Discuss Guidelines for Abstracts
W 11/19Draft Debrief + Q & A
F 11/21No Class: Work on Abstract and/or Essay
M 12/1Presentation of Abstracts
W 12/3Presentation of Abstracts
F 12/5Presentations  of AbstractsAbstract Due
W 12/10Essay Due

There is no Final Exam in this class; however, I will be available in my office for consultations during our scheduled exam time: R 12/11: 9:00-10:50 am.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Assignments. All written work is due as indicated in the course schedule below. You will have a 48-hour window to turn in Critical Responses, the Essay Draft, and the Abstract without penalty, and you will have a 48-hour window to turn in the Essay with a penalty of 10 points per day. I will give extensions on a case-by-case basis, so please reach out to me at least 48 hours in advance for approval should you need one for any of the assignments in this class.

Attendance Policy

Attendance. Attendance is required, and participation in classroom discussion is expected. Because these categories are worth 20% of your grade, failure to attend class and participate could result in a low or failing grade for the course. Finally, if you come to class more than 10 minutes late, you will automatically receive an 80% that day for your attendance.

Course Fees

There is no fee for this course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.