Dr. Werstine brings his love of Shakespeare to Beijing

Dr. Paul Werstine, Chair of Modern Languages at King’s, has taken his love of Shakespeare to a unique audience. For a second summer, Dr. Werstine has been an invited faculty member at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology. He has recently returned to King’s, and he is pleased to report that, despite language and cultural differences, his lectures about English literature were attended by large numbers of students and faculty.  He was first there in 2015 and taught for four days on the subject of Shakespeare. This year Dr. Werstine wanted to find out if the Chinese students and faculty were interested in learning English literature the same way students would be taught here at King’s. At the end of his lectures, Dr. Werstine had the students write an essay on their interpretation of a Shakespeare sonnet, and the results from about two dozen of them were most encouraging. These particular students were able to learn a lot about English poetry—metre, figures of speech, devices of sound, rhetorical schemes --in the eight short days he was there. Dr. Werstine hopes the students will come to King’s to deepen their love of the English language and practise their skills.

Dr. Werstine also gave a lecture to 50 faculty members on Shakespeare. His topic, “Where Shakespeare comes from,” was also well received.

Dr. Paul Werstine has spent his career teaching Shakespeare and Medieval and Renaissance English Literature at King's. Among his teaching awards is the King's College Award for Excellence in Teaching 2003, and awards from the graduating classes of 2003, 2007, and 2009. Dr. Werstine was also awarded the first Hugh Mellon Excellence in Research Award last year (2015).

To learn more about studying English at King’s, click here.

The Beijing University of Chemical Technology is a partner university with King’s. Originally a technical university, the school has now broadened its programs to include discussions in Liberal Arts.