Podcasts and Feminist Shakespeare Pedagogy

Abstract

Scores of women feel excluded from Shakespeare Studies because the sound of this field (whether it is academics giving papers at conferences or actors sharing performance insights) is predominantly male. In contrast, women are well represented in Shakespeare podcasts. Noting this trend, this Element envisions and urges a feminist podagogy which entails utilizing podcasts for feminism in Shakespeare pedagogy. Through detailed case studies of teaching women characters in Hamlet, A Winter's Tale, The Merchant of Venice, and As You Like It, and through road-tested assignments and activities, this Element explains how educators can harness the functionalities of podcasts, such as amplification, archiving, and community building to shape a Shakespeare pedagogy that is empowering for women. More broadly, it advocates paying greater attention to the intersection of Digital Humanities and anti-racist feminism in Shakespeare Studies.