Published on March 28, 2022 by Sean Flynt  
King Lear–Benjamin West {{PD-US}}
King Lear–Benjamin West {{PD-US}}

Retiring Samford University professors Steven Epley and Dennis Sansom will present a special event focused on William Shakespeare’s King Lear April 13.

The Literary and Philosophical Significance of King Lear–3-5 p.m. in Brock Forum, Dwight Beeson Hall­–will include lectures by Epley and Sansom as well as student readings of the play.

Epley, retiring from the Department of English, has a special interest in how authors apply biblical theology to their writing. Although King Lear is set in pre-Christian England, scholars have recognized in it a number of Christian allusions and themes.

Sansom, retiring from the Department of Classics and Philosophy, focuses his teaching and research on ethics, and has a special interest in Shakespeare. He developed a public lecture series on The Gospel and Literature which included King Lear among many other works. He has acted in multiple Shakespeare plays, including Troilus and Cressida, Much Ado About Nothing and Richard III.

The event is free and open to the public.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.