Folger Shakespeare Library Teaching Shakespeare Institute 2012
Project Overview
The research project is designed to give you an opportunity to use the wealth of rare materials available at the Folger. More details will be provided during the second week of the Institute, but for those of you who like to get started early, here are some basics regarding the project itself and finding information at the Folger. Our catalog, digital image database, and Finding Aid database are all available to the public online.
The main portion of the research project is an essay that uses primary sources and digital images to explore a topic of your choice. You may naturally gravitate toward a topic related to one of our four plays, but you are not restricted to those texts. Nor are you required to stick to an analysis of a text or character. You may, for example, have a strong interest in the proliferation of shipwreck plot lines in Renaissance drama, and choose to research sea travel. You should, of course, show the relevance to Shakespeare studies in your essay, but you need not focus on the plays themselves.
You are very likely to have questions about this simplistic overview. Please don't hesitate to ask them, but remember that you will receive a detailed explanation during the Institute. We simply wanted to provide you with an introduction so that you know what's coming. Reading room time will be limited to a few hours two or three days per week because of our packed schedule, so you may want to have a list of resources prepared to take advantage of the time available to you.
Choose your topic. Below are some suggestions if you are having trouble getting started. You are by no means required to stick to this list, and creativity is encouraged. Consult one of the scholars about your topic before getting started.
Find a few secondary sources to provide background information. The essay need not be "traditional" scholarship (i.e., arguing a specific thesis) so you are not required to cite secondary sources, but investigating the scholarship around your topic will help to solidify your direction.
Use Hamnet (our online catalog) to find at least two primary sources related to your project.
Use Luna (our digital image database) to find at least one digital image related to your project.
Keep a log of the process you followed to create your project.
Suggested Topics
rebellion
war (treatment of prisoners,ransom,etc.)
treason
courtship
marriage customs
taverns/brothels/inns
bearbaiting
crime & punishment
medicine
church & state
household management
witchcraft/divination
clowns/fools
madness
grief/mourning
music
Puritans/anti-Puritanism
government
land & sea travel
Need Help?
All three scholars will be available in the reading room during research time. Please take advantage of their content expertise. For help with Hamnet, Luna, or the card catalog, please see the reference staff in the reading room or the Help page in Hamnet
Please use your peers as well. Some of the most interesting projects in past years have come from discussions among the teachers at TSI. If you have ideas, suggestions, or questions, post them to the discussion board for feedback. Also feel free to post information about resources that you found relevant--or just interesting or amusing.
Research Using Online Resources at the Folger
Folger Shakespeare Library Teaching Shakespeare Institute 2012Project Overview
The research project is designed to give you an opportunity to use the wealth of rare materials available at the Folger. More details will be provided during the second week of the Institute, but for those of you who like to get started early, here are some basics regarding the project itself and finding information at the Folger. Our catalog, digital image database, and Finding Aid database are all available to the public online.
The main portion of the research project is an essay that uses primary sources and digital images to explore a topic of your choice. You may naturally gravitate toward a topic related to one of our four plays, but you are not restricted to those texts. Nor are you required to stick to an analysis of a text or character. You may, for example, have a strong interest in the proliferation of shipwreck plot lines in Renaissance drama, and choose to research sea travel. You should, of course, show the relevance to Shakespeare studies in your essay, but you need not focus on the plays themselves.
You are very likely to have questions about this simplistic overview. Please don't hesitate to ask them, but remember that you will receive a detailed explanation during the Institute. We simply wanted to provide you with an introduction so that you know what's coming. Reading room time will be limited to a few hours two or three days per week because of our packed schedule, so you may want to have a list of resources prepared to take advantage of the time available to you.
Suggested Topics
rebellionwar (treatment of prisoners,ransom,etc.)
treason
courtship
marriage customs
taverns/brothels/inns
bearbaiting
crime & punishment
medicine
church & state
household management
witchcraft/divination
clowns/fools
madness
grief/mourning
music
Puritans/anti-Puritanism
government
land & sea travel
Need Help?
All three scholars will be available in the reading room during research time. Please take advantage of their content expertise. For help with Hamnet, Luna, or the card catalog, please see the reference staff in the reading room or the Help page in HamnetPlease use your peers as well. Some of the most interesting projects in past years have come from discussions among the teachers at TSI. If you have ideas, suggestions, or questions, post them to the discussion board for feedback. Also feel free to post information about resources that you found relevant--or just interesting or amusing.