Michael Dobson, Director of the UK’s Shakespeare Institute and Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham, shares his views on Shakespeare’s originality and creativity; the role of translating Shakespeare in the modern day, and his experience studying Shakespeare in the UK.
Michael Dobson’s professional career has been dedicated to studying and teaching the works of Shakespeare. His teaching has taken him around the world, including North America, Europe and China. As well as Director of the UK’s Shakespeare Institute since 2011, he is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Birmingham.
The theme of Professor Dobson’s Smart Talk was ‘Shakespeare: monumental or modern?’, and explained how Shakespeare's 400-year-old scripts have managed to remain simultaneously historical and contemporary on stages and screens from Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, to Shanghai. Professor Dobson also discussed why Shakespeare's originality and creativity continues to stimulate and inspire others, even today; as well his educational journey which led to a lifelong passion for Shakespeare and an international career teaching about his works at universities around the world, including Peking University in Beijing.
