International Scholars' Forum--World Culture and Education Tour

Itinerary IV

10 things you might not know about Shakespeare

Theme：10 things you might not know about Shakespeare

Speaker: Duncan Lees

Language: English

Time: 7:00-9:00pm, October 14th (Tuesday), 2014

Venue: Room 103, School of MBA (building 9)

Host：International Office

Co-host: Faculty of English Language and Culture

Audience: Students and teachers who are interested in this topic

Introduction to the Speech：

Shakespeare is commonly regarded as the most famous writer of all time, but how much do most people actually know about him? Who was the man we think of today as the Bard of Avon? A country bumpkin a fraud or even a spy? What did Shakespeare get up to when he wasn’t writing, and why did he frequent some of the sleaziest parts of London? What did the theatregoers of his day have in common with modern football crowds, and what does Shakespeare’s Juliet have in common with Justin Bieber?

This talk will attempt to answer these questions and more, by addressing some common misconceptions surrounding Shakespeare’s work and delving into some surprising aspects of his life and times. In doing so, the intention is to throw new light on Shakespeare’s plays and poetry, and demonstrate that, 450 years after his birth, the Bard’s work is simultaneously more exotic and more familiar than many of us assume.

Introduction to the Speaker：

Duncan Lees

Duncan Lees has been working in the Faculty of English Language and Culture (FELC) since 2004, after completing a BA in Film and Literature and an MA in Film at the University of Warwick. He has taught numerous courses for the faculty, including Film Culture, Literary Theory and British and American Literature, and, as an experienced writer and editor, also teaches Guangzhou-based students on the University of Central Lancashire’s International Journalism programme. In recent years, he has increasingly focused on drama, teaching academic courses on the subject in addition to launching the FELC’s practical Drama Workshop and playing an active role in its annual Drama Night. Duncan is currently pursuing further postgraduate study with the University of Birmingham’s Shakespeare Institute, and will travel to Stratford-upon-Avon next Easter for an intensive workshop with members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Through this course he hopes to develop his research interest in English-language drama in cross-cultural contexts.