Shakespeare was, indeed, a psychologist, as evidenced by his deep perception into human behavior and emotions. For instance, King Lear is a portrayal of an aging man struggling with mortality, loss of power, and dementia. Othello’s Iago embodies a psychopathic personality. Hamlet’s Ophelia succumbs to suicide in the despair of multiple losses of dependent figures. In this course, we will explore what might have been, in the perspective of modern psychology, the mental health issues of a number of Shakespeare’s characters by viewing and discussing video clips from various performances.

Moderator: Bill Park has had a lifelong passion for the works of Shakespeare. His career has included experience in public education, university teaching, and psychotherapy.