King Lear, Act I, Scene I by Edwin Austin Abbey, 1898
Shakespeare’s tragedies, filled with ambition, love, betrayal, and devastating choices, have captivated audiences for centuries. Shakespeare scholar and historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger considers what makes these plays so compelling: the way he takes us into the mind of his characters, the complexity of their experiences, and the language that has become part of our discourse. She explores the tragedies by considering their place in Shakespeare’s time and the ways they continue to resonate with audiences today.
10–11 a.m. Roman Tragedies: Power and Public Duty
In Shakespeare’s Roman tragedies, the stakes are public more than personal. Antony and Cleopatra and Coriolanus illuminate how power, honor, and reputation shape leaders caught between private desires and public duty. Lloyd-Stanger demonstrates the tensions between individual identity and the demands of the state and the consequences that follow when that balance collapses.
11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Revenge Tragedies: Vengeance is Mine
Shakespeare’s revenge tragedies explore the tension between justice and retribution. The brutal world of Titus Andronicus and the introspective struggle of Hamlet display how revenge becomes a duty that feels like a burden. Lloyd-Stanger reveals how the quest for vengeance can consume individuals and unravel the very order it seeks to defend.
12:15 –12:45 p.m. Break
12:45 –1:45 p.m. Romantic Tragedies: Love Goes Wrong
Shakespeare’s romantic tragedies examine the fragile balance between love and destruction. Focusing on Othello and Romeo and Juliet, Lloyd-Stanger demonstrates how trust, perception, and external forces shape intimate relationships. She also shows how a private relationship can be destroyed by jealousy, fear, hatred, and even bad timing.
2–3 p.m. Political Tragedies: Succession and Tyranny
Written in turbulent times, Shakespeare’s political tragedies challenge the reality of authority and legitimacy. Julius Caesar, King Lear, and Macbeth reveal how questions of succession, loyalty, and ambition shape the fate of leaders and nations. Lloyd-Stanger highlights the enduring tensions among power, responsibility, and moral order.
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