Required Texts:
The Norton Shakespeare, eds. Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W. W. Norton, 1997.
Royle, Nicholas. How to Read Shakespeare. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005.
McDonald, Russ.The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare: An Introduction with Documents. Cambridge: St. Martin’s Press, 2001.
NOTE: Any Complete Shakespeare, or editions of individual plays will do, provided they have sufficient foot- or endnotes. Show me your copy if you are in doubt your Shakespeare will work—you will need to understand each play in its entirety, and so sufficient notes are a necessity not an option. The bookstore has enough copies of The Norton Shakespeare in stock for everybody in class, and that is the edition that I recommend. top
Course Description:
This course will introduce you to the life and works of William Shakespeare. Specifically, we will be looking at Renaissance drama written by the Great Bard after 1600. While the focus will necessarily lie with tragedy (the majority of Shakespeare’s later works are tragic in nature), we will read and discuss a variety of dramatic genres, including the comedy, history, and romance. We might even have some time at the end of the semester to take a peek at the Shakespearean sonnet.
William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest and most influential poets of all times. His writing has left a mark on literary culture, while simultaneously painting an intriguing, authentic and often highly critical picture of his own life and times. Through Shakespeare then, we will be able to gain insight into Renaissance culture and politics, and we will come to comprehend social and religious concerns, values, and beliefs of this period. While much of early modern culture is reflected in the works of William Shakespeare, much of it is hidden within the intricate syntax of his poetry. The unraveling of Shakespeare’s poetic genius requires skillful and informed reading, an art that has been lost to many of us. The reacquisition of this skill and its utilization in our reading and writing of Shakespeare’s literature will be our goals this semester. One of the first exercises this semester will teach you how to curse like the bard, or rather, it will teach you how to read and decipher Shakespearean language.
Besides reading plays by Shakespeare—ten in all and advancing (almost) chronologically through his later, post-1600 works—we will be watching a variety of dramatic productions of his texts. Shakespeare wrote for the stage, and his works were meant to be watched not read. In fact, his works weren’t even published until the first Folio edition of 1623, which, might be noted, was several years after the poet’s death. Reading Shakespeare thus is not enough; he must be seen; he needs to be experienced; and his plays need to be both expressed and perceived dramatically in order to be conveyed and comprehended in their entirety.
To aid you in this process, we will watch various film versions and theater performances. I shall reserve a room so we can watch some of the theatrical highlights as a group on Tuesday evenings—beginning with Shakespeare in Love tonight. Attendance at these movie nights is entirely optional and will be recognized extra credit work. Beware that there’s no other way to gain extra credit for this course and that no make-up exams or revisions of papers are offered.
No prior exposure to Shakespeare or Renaissance drama in general is necessary; rudimentary knowledge of poetic devices will come in handy, however. Background information on early modern English culture, performance history, and authorial techniques will be provided throughout the course of the semester. Take copious notes, as much of the material covered in class will reoccur in the exams. top
Course Objectives:
We will spend time on class discussions and activities that will aid you in comprehending and responding to Shakespearean drama and poetry, focusing on the significance—in this classroom and beyond—of strong written and verbal skills. At the end of this course you should be able to:
1)
Read and understand Renaissance texts independently.
2)
Write reflective, interpretive, and critical essays about Renaissance drama.
3)
Identify and comprehend various critical approaches to Renaissance literature.
4)
Contextualize and historicize Renaissance texts (culturally, philosophically, and politically).
5)
Utilize and criticize scholarly articles on Renaissance drama.
6)
Analyze and evaluate various performative approaches to Renaissance drama.
Course Policies:
NOTE: If you do not understand these policies, you must ask me for clarification now or stop by my office at your earliest convenience; your success in this class is dependent on your comprehension of them. By staying in this class, you are showing your acceptance of and compliance with these guidelines. And remember that:
1)
All assigned readings should be completed before class in preparation for class discussion.
2)
All assignments must be typed, proofread, and follow common MLA style format.
3) No late assignments will be accepted; please plan accordingly.
4) I will not comment on late drafts. I trust that you will do your best to submit all work by the deadlines outlined in the course schedule and agreed upon on the sign-up sheets. It is your responsibility to stay in contact with me if you are experiencing difficulties completing work on time.
5)
Plagiarism is grounds for failing this class.
6)
Timely attendance in class is a requirement for all students in English 306. Two tardies equal one absence. As a student, it is your job to attend classes. Show that you take your job seriously!
7)
Students with four absences will earn an F for the course.
8)
All students need to provide me with e-mail address. Send me a message right away so you won’t forget!
9)
You are responsible for checking your e-mail regularly for class announcements.
ABOUT E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS: I am more than happy to answer questions and discuss literary and scholarly concerns via e-mail. I do trust, however, that all e-mails will be written in a respectful and professional tone and that they are proofread before they are sent. I will not respond to unprofessional or sloppily composed e-mails, and I cannot accept assignments or drafts via e-mail. Remember that this is a University-level English class—your writing needs to reflect that.
Absences:
The English Department policy states that if students miss more than 4 days of class they cannot pass English 306. Excused absences are still absences. You are responsible for finding out what you miss on days you are absent. Please gather the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least two other students you can contact to find out what happened in class on the day you were absent. You will also need the names of your classmates for your group presentation, so you might as well take care of this now and get their information. top
Written Assignments, Performance Projects and Exams:
You are welcome and encouraged to submit all writing, including your term paper, on recycled paper. If there is writing on the opposite side of your original essay, please mark an X through it.
OPTION 1: One reflective paper (2-4 pages—double-spaced): This is meant to be an exploratory paper; no research should be required. I am looking for your reaction to and interpretation/analysis of a play, a specific scene, or a certain theme reoccurring in multiple plays. Of course, you may elect to conduct research for this paper. If you do consult outside materials, strict adherence to MLA conventions is a must, and a failure to do so will affect your overall grade for this assignment. While this paper is optional, you may choose to repeat this exercise if neither option 2 nor 3 appeals to you. This paper will account for 15% of your final grade.
OPTION 2: One summary analysis (1-2 pages—single-spaced, plus a 5-10 min. presentation of your article): This is meant to be an interpretive paper; it involves one critical, scholarly article, which must be between 20-35 pages in length. Besides summarizing this article in one or two pages, you will also be required to present this summary together with your commentary on the quality and relevance of this article to the class. The one-page paper (using MLA for the article citation) must be submitted on the day of your presentation, together with a complete copy of your article for my reference. This paper is optional; you may choose to perform a bit of Shakespeare instead (see option below). This too will account for 15% of your final grade.
OPTION 3: A dramatic performance (5-10 minutes per person): This is meant to be both exploratory and interpretive. It will be your job to choose a passage, a dialogue or a scene from one of the plays we are reading this semester and bring it to life in front of the class. You can pick either a dramatic monologue or a scene/group performance. A one paragraph (7-10 sentences) explanation of why you chose this particular passage and how you went about enacting it must be handed in on the day of your performance. Performing Shakespeare is optional; you may choose to present a scholarly article and/or write one (or two) reflective paper(s) instead (see options 1 and 2 above). Note that all performances will take place during weeks 14 and 15, so that an adequate setting can be provided This will account for 15% of your final grade.
A NOTE ON OPTIONS 1-3: YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE TWO OF THE ABOVE ASSIGNMENTS in order to obtain a total of 30% towards your final grade. The dramatic performance, option 3, may replace one of the written exercises, but not both: one written exercise is mandatory. Also, while you may choose to write two reflective papers, you may not write the second paper about the same topic or play as the first; you may, however, perform a passage or present an article on the same play or theme as your short paper. I realize that oral presentations can be intimidating and that you might be tempted to avoid option 3 (as well as option 2, perhaps), but class participation is a must, so you might as well practice in a more controlled environment—one in which nobody is allowed to interrupt you. Note that the following assignments are NOT optional, so be sure to complete them—and keep track of your submission dates; I do not accept late assignments!
A group presentation on a critical approach (15-20 minutes total; group sizes should not exceed 4 people): This is meant to expose you and your classmates to a variety of critical approaches to literature within the context of Shakespearean drama. Presentation dates are dependent on the play on which you decide to present. Since this exercise requires quite a bit of research and reading on your part—besides picking your own presentation date, you will also have to choose and research a critical approach and locate at least one article written from this perspective on your play of choice—no write-up will be required. On the day of your presentation, you will deliver your material orally to the class and provide me with Xerox copies of your article(s). This will account for 15% of final grade for the class.
Midterm and Final Exams: There will be two comprehensive in-class exams, one at midterm and one during final’s week. Both exams will consist of passage identifications, several short answer questions, and one longer essay; and both exams will cover the plays read and discussed up to the given exam (in case of the final exam, this does mean that all plays will be included). There will be no surprises, however, and you will be well prepared to pass these tests. The midterm will account for 10% and the final exam for 15% of your final grade.
A research paper (6-8 pages—double-spaced): This is meant to be a critical analysis of a play, an overarching theme or a theme within a play. As this is the most extensive project this semester, its quality should be professional and scholarly in nature, including a discussion of at least five scholarly, secondary sources. Remember that this is a formal writing exercise; strict adherence to MLA style format is a must. A works cited pages must be attached. This will account for 20% of your final grade.
Participation: Participation in class discussion is necessary and not synonymous with attendance. Being there will not be enough; you will need to take part in activities and discussions. Small group activities will drive our efforts toward unraveling the mystery that is Shakespeare and help you lessen your anxiety to talk about something as unfamiliar and often as obscure as Renaissance drama. Daily journal questions will assist you in your group work, enliven discussion and encourage you to share your thoughts and findings with the rest of the class. Active class participation will account for the remaining 10% of your final grade. Beware that inactive attendance will gain you a 0 percentage-wise. top
Grading Standards:
This course and all its assignment will be graded on a standard scale from A to F, with A being greater than 90% and F being lower than 60%. Paper grades are determined by applying standards of logic, coherence, style, and mechanics. Class assignments, exams, and course projects are clearly marked with percentages; refer to the assignment section of this syllabus for assignment criteria and individual grade/percentage allotments. top
Campus Resources:
WritingCenter: The Writing Center is located on the third floor of the CUE. The Writing Center employs student tutors who will talk to you about your writing. The Writing Center is not a proofreading service—expect tutors to offer suggestions for the overall improvement of your paper only; they will not correct typos. You can access Writing Center hours and resources at <http://www.wsu.edu/writingprograms>.
GenEd 302: You can choose to enroll in GenEd 302 which is a one credit (p/f) course where you will meet for an hour a week with a small group of students and a tutor to talk about your writing. It’s pretty much an hour of planned homework time where you can talk about the work you’re doing in 306. To pass 302 you must attend 10 meetings during the semester and bring a piece of your own writing (from 306 or other courses) to least 5 meetings. At the end of the semester you will need to write a 2-page response about your experience in 302. 302 meetings begin meeting the third week of classes. Contact Karen Weathermon (kweathermon@wsu.edu) or swing by the CUE to sign up for the 302 program.
Holland/Terrell Library: You will become quite familiar with the library this semester as you conduct your research. For your reference, the library catalog can be accessed at <http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu>. Besides the WSU Griffin Catalog, notice in particular the Article Indexes/E- Journals subsection that is linked to the WSU Library Home Page; it contains many useful databases that you have free access to as a WSU student (such as Project Muse, JSTOR, and the MLA Bibliography). While many of the scholarly articles you will need for your research proposal and term paper can be found in full-text versions online, you may opt to order some less easily available ones through Summit or ILLiad. Please be sure to conduct your research early on in the semester, as document and book delivery may take up to one week.
Disability Resource Center: If you need special accommodations due to a disability, please contact the Disability Resources Center (Administration Annex 206, phone: 335-1566). It is necessary for you to receive appropriate documentation so we can accommodate your needs in the classroom. Please see me if you have questions.
My office, Avery 487: My door is always open. If you have questions about assignment instructions or expectations please come and see me. I can guarantee you that I will be in my office during my scheduled office hours (Tuesday & Thursday 10 am-noon), but I am in my office or somewhere on the third floor quite a bit. Feel free to stop by. I usually leave a message revealing my whereabouts on my office door if I happen to be out for a few moments running errands. Check the white board next to the door when looking for me; also, feel free to leave a message for me if you need me to get in touch with you.
My AOL E-mail Account: The best way to contact me outside of class is through e-mail. I check my e-mail account frequently, and both my home and my office computer are connected to the internet at all times. I promise to try to get back to you within 24 hour of your message if at all possible. top
PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism is grounds for failing an assignment and the course; you are expected to provide evidence of significant invention and revision if requested to do so. All incidents of plagiarism or collusion will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course, and all incidents of plagiarism and collusion will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs for further university action. Whether intentional or unintentional, plagiarism is illegal and is not acceptable in this or any other class at Washington State University. top |
