British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Shakespeare on the Brain

Synopsis
From the depression of Hamlet to the guilt of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s work has many references to mental health. Academics and actors at Warwick Arts Centre explore issues such as depression, schizophrenia and anxiety through the plays. The videos brings together brief excerpts from some of Shakespeare’s best known plays including Hamlet and Macbeth. Themes illustrated by these excerpts are then discussed by an expert panel of academics chaired by Colin Blakemore.

Shakespeare on the Brain: Professor Carol Rutter, Co-Director of IATL, and Professor Nick Dale, School of Life Sciences, talk about Shakespeare’s representation of mental illness and the brain (11 min)

Shakespeare, Hamlet and Mental Well-being:
Jonathan Heron, Research Associate at IATL, in conversation with Dr Matthew Broome, Health Sciences Research Institute, on Shakespeare’s representation of Hamlet’s mental state. (31 mins)

Shakespeare on the Brian roundtable. Panel discussion.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Video
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
16 Mar 2009

Credits

Contributor
Carol Rutter; John Heron; Matthew Broome; Nick Dale

Additional Details

Production type
Documentary/Educational/News
Plays
Hamlet; Macbeth
Subjects
Drama; Medical sciences
Keywords
brain sciences; mental illness; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
The videos can be accessed at: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/knowledge/themes/05/shakespeare_brain/ (accessed 12/2011).
General
The ‘Shakespeare on the Brain’ project was a collaboration between The CAPITAL Centre (now part of the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning), Warwick Medical School and the School of Life Sciences.

Production Company

Name

University of Warwick Knowledge Centre

Record Stats

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