Dr. Andrew Hartley, Robinson Distinguished Professor of Shakespeare, launches the project Shakespeare and Inclusivity: a semester long case-study of The Merchant of Venice with a public lecture.
“Mislike me not for my Complexion,” The Merchant of Venice and Shakespeare’s Diversity Problem" will provide an introduction to the play, its divisive history, and its issues, discussed in the context of its position both in early modern culture and within the Shakespeare canon. What are the flashpoints for debate in the play, how are they framed by the particular form of comedy utilized by Shakespeare at this point in his career? What concerns inform the way we contextualize problematic art, and at what point do we decide that something we once valued is now irredeemable?
Shakespeare and Inclusivity is co-presented by the Department of Theatre and Shakespeare in Action, an initiative led by faculty in the UNC Charlotte Theatre and English departments that presents talks, presentations, and productions for both the campus population and the general public.
A prolific scholar, Hartley's academic books include The Shakespearean Dramaturg (Palgrave 2006), Julius Caesar (Shakespeare in Performance series, Manchester UP 2013), Shakespeare and Political Theatre (Palgrave 2013), Shakespeare on the University Stage (Cambridge UP 2014), Julius Caesar: A Critical Reader (Arden, 2016), and Shakespeare and Millennial Fiction (Cambridge, 2017). He was the editor of the performance journal Shakespeare Bulletin (Johns Hopkins UP) from 2003-2013 and was an Associate Artist at Georgia Shakespeare, where he was a resident dramaturg.
This event is FREE.