This course examines the diverse relations between drama and philosophy.  Students will study great plays in the Western tradition with philosophical themes such as suffering, death, justice, free will, the meaning of life, etc.  The course covers ancient Greek tragedies, Shakespeare, and the Theatre of the Absurd.  Students will study these plays and learn to interpret them as works of philosophical investigation.   Students will think analytically and critically about the dramas and their ideas, learning to appreciate how philosophical ideas affect drama and how drama communicates philosophical ideas.  At the discretion of the instructor additional modules may be included to study opera, film, philosophy of drama, philosophical critiques of drama, or the effect of the dramatic literary form in shaping philosophical content.  Along with the lecture-tutorial format, selected videos may be included, and other activities may be added at the instructor's discretion to enrich the learning environment.