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Spring 2001 | |
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English 204 |
Rice 107, (440) 775-8577 |
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E-mail: Phyllis.Gorfain@oberlin.edu |
Recommended Books
Course Objectives
1. To read, study, discuss, and appreciate a range of five Shakespeare plays (including comedies, tragedies, history) with a theoretical, topical focus on the ways these plays depict, use, and comment on forms of ritual, play, games. We will also relate ritual, play, and games to the ideas and processes of theatre, theatricality, and issues of performance and performativity.
2. To learn how to consider Shakespeare texts as scripts and explore them with an eye to performance issues and how performance choices shape a range of meanings.
3. To experiment with performance choices through scene work (putting on scenes, discussing scenes) to learn how ideas can be expressed using scripts and physical choices, interpretative acts.
4. To study scripts in relationship to video representations of the scripts.
5. To develop a critical and theoretical sensibility by reading essays on play, games, ritual, performance, and practical criticisms of particular plays.
6. To develop writing skills in critical, interpretative, and analytic discussions of particular plays as well as in comparing and synthesizing views of several works.
Course Requirements
1. Attendance and participation, 15%
Attendance is required and more than three absences will result in a lowered grade. After six absences, students may not pass the course unless all other work is outstanding. Authorized absences may be given for required off-campus activities for another course; for serious medical conditions (proof of doctor's appointments needed); for serious family emergencies. Absences due to optional trips for family events, for athletic events, for regular illness, and the like will not be authorized, and count among the three allowed absences
Participation will be graded on the basis of strength and consistency of position papers, contributions to in-class discussions and impromptu scenes, fine questions, helpful comments, responsiveness to others, contribution to the building of a community of learning, collective efforts.
2. One in-class scene and scene journal 20%.
The scenes will be fully memorized, and involve costumes, props, a set, and other production needs. The scene journal will be due at the class following the scene performance. The journal will include a log of activities, actually written after each rehearsal and a long commentary containing the following elements (they do not have to be in this order, but should be addressed):
a. A character study -- as much as you can possibly know from the entire script about your character; what the others say about the character; gender, sexuality, age, ethnicity, color, class, status, experiences, education, occupation, views, personality, etc. Consider ways to develop your character: what do they wear most of the time; how do they move, sit, smoke, use their voice, etc.
b. Scene analysis -- what are the given circumstances in your scene, what conditions obtain for the characters (what has happened and what is the situation); what problems face the characters. In your scene, what are each character's objectives and how are the character's objectives pursued, frustrated, redefined, re-pursued through the course of the scene. Where are the conflicts and accords, discoveries and changes? What does this scene accomplish for the play, in terms of plot, character, situation, and theme?
c. Finding signals for performance choices: where are the major scripted signals you must observe? What kinds of signals demand definite, specific choices? What signals indicate an optional choice must be made but do not show exactly how to make the choice? What other signals do you find for choices you need to make about costume, props, blocking, line readings, characterization? What choices do you make that can be supported by the script although the script does not indicate such choices? Are you making choices for your scene that work there but would not work if the scene were performed with the rest of the play? What is your justification for doing that?
d. Issues of play, game, ritual, and theatricality: how does your scene explore ideas, themes, and issues at the core of the course?
The scene journal will also include a discussion of what you learned from performing the scene and the following discussion.
Also, following the performance, each person will submit a self-evaluation and an evaluation of other scene members. The grade will be based on:
1. Group performance: degree of preparation, extent of work, thoughtfulness and coherence of scene; contribution to class study of the script and theoretical issues. Everyone will be given the same grade here. 40%
2. Journal and individual work: your own degree and extent of preparation and performance. Skill is not so much the issue as energy, thoughtfulness, creativity, clarity of goals, physicalizing ideas, good discussion of character and scene. Your journal will be an important element in assessing your preparation, ideas, and understanding. 30%
3. Self-evaluation. 10%
4. Averaging the evaluations of your scene partners. 20%
3. Midterm paper, 20%
The midterm can be on one or more of the plays from the first half of the course, but not one in which you performed a scene. The midterm should address key issues of the course, and should include some theoretical work on play, games, ritual, theatricality or some practical criticism, which addresses these issues in some way. All papers must show some research into practical criticism and use some theoretical approach. Check with the instructor to get your topic approved or supported with suggestions.
All papers must conform to the rules for format and documentation as laid out in the MLA Handbook.
4. Final project, 25%
The final assignment may be a final paper (10-12 pages), final scenes (two scenes for each person) or other group or individual project on the plays from the second half of the semester. If you do not write a paper and want to do a scene or project, you must rewrite part of your midterm paper if it earned less than an A-. You must turn in your rewrite by Monday, May 3 at the very latest (the sooner the better, but this is the FINAL deadline), having discussed the rewrite you will do beforehand with the instructor (sign up for an office appt. to do that).
You must declare if you will do a final paper or project or scene by Mon. Apr. 16. If you write a paper, or do a project, you will submit a proposal for your paper or project by Friday, April 27, including an abstract of your main ideas, a plan for the research and writing or other work, a reading list of sources or references to be used, and any questions for the instructor to help you with. Required conferences will be held on all proposed topics that weekend, if possible.
All final scenes will include a scene journal and self and group evaluation. A written report must accompany all projects, and all papers must include some research using theory or practical criticism. All papers must conform to the rules for format and documentation as laid out in the MLA Handbook.
Many comments and corrections will use the abbreviations and refer students to relevant passages in the Beacon Handbook. Be sure to buy and use these optional books if you have any problems with either format or rules of grammar and punctuation.
5.Position papers, 20%
Several 2-3 page position papers will be used for in-class discussion of assigned articles. You will have an option among position papers when more than one is possible during a week.
The instructor will write very brief evaluations on the position papers; 1 is poor; 2 is fine; 3 is excellent. You will keep your position papers in a portfolio, and hand them in as a group to be graded at midterm time and at end of the semester. They will be given a letter grade as a collective product. The portfolios will be graded with an eye to completeness (how many were done), timeliness (on time), quality and consistency of work. Depth of thought, variety in approaches, excellence of writing and extent of work will be considered. Every week there will be one position paper required; you may choose among various options most weeks; occasionally there will be only one option.
Style and Format for Papers
All papers must be printed with 1" margins on left and right sides, and double spaced. You are welcome to recycle paper, with something else printed on one side. Many instructor comments and corrections will use the abbreviations and refer students to relevant passages in the Bedford Handbook. Be sure to buy and use this optional book if you have any problems with either format or rules of grammar and punctuation.
Deadlines
All position papers are due in class on the day assigned. If you have notes ready and show them to me, I will accept printed work 9 p.m.. Otherwise, all deadlines will be at 9 p.m. on the day due. All deadlines are final, and no extensions will be given after a deadline. Extensions before the deadline will be given for the following reasons:
1. Serious work crunch; show me the syllabi for other courses and your other papers and tests due the same day. This must be done more than a day ahead.
2. Serious problems with finishing work due to prolonged illness. Show me evidence of need for medications, doctors.
3. Serious family problems; I will need proof of needed trips home.
4. Extensions will normally be for two to three extra days, until the next class meeting. No prolonged extensions are possible.
Late papers will receive lowered grades; the grade will be lowered 1/3 (from B to B-, for example) for each day late.
Schedule
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DATE |
ACTIVITY |
COMMENTS AND DUE DATES |
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Mon 2/5 |
First class, Intro. to course |
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Wed 2/7 |
Reading a Shakespeare script: meter, embodiment, choices (Shrew Act 1) |
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Fri 2/9 |
Other Scripted Signals (Shrew Act 2) |
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Mon 2/12 |
Theories of Play Huizinga and Shrew Acts 1-3 |
Position paper #1 option 1 |
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Wed 2/14 |
Theories of Play Bateson and Shrew Act 4 |
Position paper #1 option 2 |
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Fri 2/16 |
Theories of Play Butler and Shrew Act 5 |
Position Paper #1 option 3 |
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Mon 2/19 |
The Taming of the Shrew |
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Wed 2/21 |
The Taming of the Shrew |
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Fri 2/23 |
The Taming of the Shrew criticism: Huston, Siberry |
Position Paper #2 option 1 |
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Mon 2/26 |
The Taming of the Shrew criticism: Boose |
Position Paper #3 option 1 |
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Wed 2/28 |
The Taming of the Shrew scenes |
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Fri 3/2 |
Theories of Ritual: Bell and Henry IV,1 |
Shrew scene journals due |
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Mon 3/5 |
Theories of Ritual: Turner and Henry IV,1 |
Position Paper #4, option 1 |
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Wed 3/7 |
Theories of Ritual: Woodbridge and Henry IV, 1 |
Position Paper #4, option 2 |
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Fri 3/9 |
Henry IV, 1 |
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Mon 3/12 |
Henry IV,1 and criticism: Greenblatt |
Position Paper #5, option 1 |
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Wed 3/14 |
Henry IV, 1 and criticism: Barber and Gottschalk |
Position Paper #5, option 2 |
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Fri 3/16 |
Henry IV, 1 scenes |
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Mon 3/19 |
Studies of festivity: Phythian-Adams and Burke |
Henry IV, 1 scene journals due |
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Wed 3/21 |
Twelfth Night |
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Fri 3/23 |
No class |
Midterm paper due; portfolios of position papers due |
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Mon 4/2 |
Twelfth Night |
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Wed 4/4 |
Twelfth Night criticism: Barber, Casey and Logan |
Position Paper #7, option 1 |
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Fri 4/6 |
Twelfth Night scenes |
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Mon. 4/9 |
Hamlet |
Twelfth Night scene journals due |
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Wed 4/11 |
No class: instructor at conference; meet to plan final scenes |
Final project proposals due |
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Fri 4/13 |
No class: instructor at conference; figure out what final scenes you will do |
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Mon 4/16 |
Performance: Mullaney, Worthen |
Position Paper #8, option 1 |
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Wed 4/18 |
Hamlet |
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Fri 4/20 |
Hamlet |
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Sat 4/21 |
Make up class for 3/23 Hamlet criticism; Montrose and Gorfain |
Position Paper #9, option 1 |
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Mon 4/23 |
Hamlet scenes |
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Wed 4/25 |
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead |
Hamlet scene journals due |
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Fri 4/27 |
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead criticism: Perlette and Chetta |
Position Paper #10, option 1 |
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Mon 4/30 |
King Lear |
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Wed 5/2 |
King Lear |
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Fri 5/4 |
King Lear |
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Sun 5/6 |
Final Scenes |
Make up class for 4/11 and 4/13 |
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Mon 5/7 |
King Lear criticism: Sher and Kendall Position |
Paper #10, option 1 |
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Wed 5/9 |
King Lear scenes |
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Fri 5/11 |
Wrap up, evaluations |
King Lear scene journals due; final scene journals due |
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Tues 5/15 |
End of reading period |
Final Papers due 6 p.m.; portfolios of position papers due |