Shakespeare and Material Culture

About this Course

About the Course

In this course, Professor Catherine Richardson (University of Kent) explores how an understanding of Early Modern English material culture can enrich our understanding of two of Shakespeare's most famous plays, Macbeth and Othello. We begin with an introduction to the concept of material culture and its vital place in Early Modern England. In the second module, we look at the role of the stool in Act 3, Scene 4 in Macbeth. In the third, we think about how the bed and the bed linens set up the tragedy of Othello.

About the Lecturer

Catherine Richardson is Professor of Early Modern Studies and Director of the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Kent. Her research focuses on the relationship between texts and the material circumstances of their production and consumption. Her publications include Shakespeare and Material Culture (2011) and (as co-author) A Day at Home in Early Modern England: Material Culture and Domestic Life, 1500-1700 (2017).