Advisory: ENG 001A or ENG 001AX. Introduction to Shakespeare is a study of selected plays and sonnets. The course emphasizes detailed analysis of representative tragic, comedic, romance, and history plays, as well as the cultural contexts, dramatic conventions, poetics, and critical theory relevant to understanding Shakespeare's works. The course also focuses on critical analysis of issues including, but not limited to gender, sexuality, and race as they are represented in both source material and literary criticism.