“What Fools These Mortals Be”: A Closer Look at Shakespeare’s Comedies

Shakespeare’s comedies create worlds of mistaken identity, romantic entanglements, disguise, and playful deception. Filled with pirates, bumbling constables, mismatched couples, separated-at-birth twins, and even a memorable dog, they mix lively humor with insight into human nature. In a full-day seminar, historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores how Shakespeare uses fools, confusion, and magic, tracing his shift from early slapstick to later plays centered on reconciliation and reunion.