Renaissance culture - Morning

Course Programme

10:00 Discovering Italian Renaissance Art  Dr Jessica Maratsos

Beginning in the thirteenth century with Giotto, this brief introduction will explore the ways in which both well-known works of art and less familiar visual objects provide insight into this complex era, considering such themes as beauty, love, identity, and creativity in Renaissance Italy. 

11:15 Coffee

11:45 Sonnets  Dr Raphael Lyne

In this session we will look at some sonnets by Shakespeare and other more modern writers. We'll think about what they are trying to do in the sonnet form, and why the sonnet form might be a good (or difficult) form in which to do whatever it is they are doing.

13:00 Finish

Lunch

A selection of sandwiches will be available to purchase in the Terrace Bar.

Dr Raphael Lyne is Professor of Renaissance Literature in the Faculty of English, and a Fellow and Director of Studies at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. He is the co-editor (with Cathy Shrank) of The Complete Poems of Shakespeare (Routledge, 2017), and he has written four books about Shakespeare and renaissance literature. In recent years he has been focused on the links between literature and psychology, and for six years wrote a blog about it, 'What Literature Knows About Your Brain'.

Additional requirements

ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.

Further information about student support.

Entry requirements

No academic qualification is required, and most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject.

All teaching is in English (unless a foreign-language course). If your first language is not English, you need to satisfy yourself that you have the required near-native command of the language to get the maximum benefit from studying with ICE.

This course takes place at Madingley Hall, home to the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

About Madingley Hall

Madingley Hall itself is an impressive manor house dating back to the mid-16th century. The decoration of the Saloon and the formal Stair Hall was carried out 200 years later, and the whole fabric was renovated with great care around 1900. About four miles from the centre of Cambridge, the Hall stands in several acres of beautifully-maintained gardens and overlooks a landscape which has changed relatively little since it was laid out by Capability Brown. It is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge, and only 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.

Getting here

For more information see directions to Madingley Hall

We now have a mini-bus service which runs between the station and Madingley Hall. For the timetable and further information, please see our Lifelong Learning page or contact the reception desk at ICE.