Sandra Bermann, the Cotsen Professor of the Humanities and a professor of comparative literature, is one of several faculty members across many disciplines who share their expertise and passion for Shakespeare with Princeton students.
Video stills from Nick Barberio, Office of Communications
Passion. Deception. Power. Revenge. Love. Loss. Redemption. William Shakespeare captured them all.
At Princeton University, the enduring works of Shakespeare have made an indelible impact on generations of students. In honor of the Bard's 450th birthday that is being celebrated on April 23, this video shows some of the ways in which Shakespeare's timeless embrace of the human condition continues to inspire students.
Take a journey both on and off campus with:
- A spring break trip to London and Stratford with "Shakespeare 450," taught by Michael Cadden, chair of the Lewis Center for the Arts;
- A conversation between Sandra Bermann, the Cotsen Professor of the Humanities and a professor of comparative literature, and Emily Mann, artistic director of McCarter Theatre Center, exploring Shakespeare on the page and on the stage;
- A visit to New York City to see how three alumni have carried their experiences with Shakespeare at Princeton into their careers;
- A peek into the "interdisciplinary conversations" students from a wide range of majors bring to "Shakespeare II," taught by Russell Leo, assistant professor of English;
- A meditation on the importance of performing and viewing Shakespeare outside of the classroom — for both actor and audience — from sophomore David Cruikshank, president of Princeton Shakespeare Company;
- Insight into "how we continue to capture the immensity of the human experience" through Shakespeare's plays from Lileana Blain-Cruz, a 2006 alumna who returned to Princeton to direct "Much Ado About Nothing" in fall 2013.
In her classes, Bermann emphasizes the way written Shakespeare and spoken Shakespeare go hand in hand. "Reading Shakespeare is an experience of broadening oneself and ones' understanding, and that happens every time we pick up a page of Shakespeare's work," said Bermann. "It leads me in the classroom to always make sure our students read it aloud."
