Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
Dr. Chris Vaccaro
Signum MA Faculty
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SPACE Preceptor
He is a Senior Lecturer of English at the University of Vermont, where he teaches courses on Beowulf, Old English language and literature, surveys of early British Literature, and Tolkien. He has been teaching online courses since 2002.
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Current and Upcoming Modules
Enjoying Shakespeare: As You Like It
August 2024Highlighted Modules
All Modules
Enjoying Shakespeare: As You Like It
This course is a fun exploration of Shakespeare's As You Like It. The lecturer will lead students through the sources, plot, character development and major themes. Class time will be spent in lectures and brief discussions.
Enjoying Shakespeare: Hamlet
This course is a fun exploration of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The lecturer will lead students through the sources, plot, character development and major themes. Class time will be spent in lectures and brief discussions.
The Women of Beowulf
Yes, there are indeed women in Beowulf. Vital and potent women in fact. From the valkyrie-esque figures to the weeping peace-weavers, a broad spectrum of women characters exists as both historical representation and imaginative mythology. Grendel's Mother is ferocious and masculine. Hildeburh laments the death of her brother and son before being carried off. Modthryth behaves like a sadistic queen. Wealhtheow is mindful of so much in her husband's hall. Freawaru seems destined for tragedy. And could the dragon be a female too? Maria Headley seems to think so. This module will explore this topic using dual-language editions of texts so we can see the original language alongside translations by J.R.R. Tolkien, Roy Liuzza, and Maria Headley.