"When you compress something down to the works of one playwright, you need a much broader chronological context, but in the specific era it is very thematic," says James T.L. Grimmelmann '99, a computer science concentrator who is taking the class as an elective.
"Shakespearean Conjuring" begins with contextual material and then moves on to the plays, but not necessarily in chronological order.
The setup is "much better than strict chronology in terms of date of composition," Grimmelmann says.
According to Greenblatt, the material in the class is both thematic and chronological, "but not, or at least not only because of Shakespeare's development. Over time the culture as a whole began to rethink its beliefs in the supernatural."
As in Literature and Arts B-10, some students find the approach problematic.
"I feel that the thematic approach is very interesting," says Sarah K. Matteson '99, "[but] a lot of people miss the more comprehensive study of Shakespeare."
The English and American Literature and Language Department requires all of its concentrators to complete English 10a and English 10b: "Major British Writers." The class is chronological and covers British literature from the Middle Ages through the present.
"In general, I think the English department is struggling with the questions of how to accurately prepare all concentrators in uniform fashion," Matteson says. "The result has been to make 10a/b, a Shakespeare class and two pre-1800 classes requirements. At the same time, this is not History and Literature."
The ideal course, according to one instructor, would be arranged thematically within a chronological context.
"I think you have to have both to get the best literature education," says Jesse E. Matz, assistant professor of English and American Literature and Language. Matz is teaching several classes this semester, including English 90tv: "Time and the Novel," and English 171m: "Modern American Fiction."
"Thematic courses are more advanced," he says. "Students have the general and can move into the specific."