Dr. Verena Theile, Assistant Professor
Department of English |
| English 482/682: Shakespeare on Film (3 credits) Summer 2009 | |
Instructor: Dr. Verena Theile |
Class Meets: MTWRF 4:30-6:30pm in Minard 215 |
Office hours: TWR 3:30-4:30am and by appointment |
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REQUIRED TEXTS David Bevington, Anne Marie Welsh, and Michael Greenwald. Shakespeare: Script, Stage, Screen. New York: Longman, 2006. ISBN-13: 9780321198136. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TEXTS MLA Handbook (6th Edition) Modern Language Association of America, 2003. ISBN-10: 0873529863; ISBN-13: 978-0873529860 Harmon, William, and Hugh Holman, eds. Handbook to Literature (11th Edition). New York: Longman, 2009. ISBN-13: 9780136014393
COURSE DESCRIPTION English 482/682: Renaissance, subtitled "Shakespeare and Film/ Shakespeare in Performance," is a five-week intense summer course aimed at introducing you to the life and works of William Shakespeare by examining the ways in which his plays have been performed on stage and adapted for the screen. In order to do so, we will study Shakespearean drama in performance, that is, we will watch movies and view theater productions, and we will examine Shakespearean plays as written for an audience that takes part in these plays, be it as writers, directors, stage managers, actors, or theater goers.
It is important to remember then that Shakespeare was more than a playwright and poet; he was also a theater owner, an actor, a director, and an early modern man, living in a world which interacted directly with him and his scripts. In this course we will try to gain access to the ways in which Shakespearean plays were experienced by his contemporary audiences, how he tailored his plays so that the audience could interact with them, and we will study how we are still able to read, view, experience, and enjoy these plays today. Together, we will attempt to reconcile and to combine cultural interpretations and interactions with our own experience of Shakespearean drama, in print, on stage, and on screen and as students of language, literature, and culture.
Specifically, we will be looking at contemporary performances of select plays written by Shakespeare for the early modern stage. While our primary focus will lie with the various ways in which modern directors, actors, and audiences experience and interpret Shakespeare’s plays, we also pay close attention to the scripts which with they worked, i.e. we will read and study the texts of Shakespeare’s plays prior to and alongside our viewing of productions.
Starting with a few of his greatest tragedies (Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear), we will also consult a few of Shakespeare’s comedies (The Taming of the Shrew), histories (Richard III and Henry V), and romances (The Tempest) in an effort to explore changing cultural tastes as well as their contemporary adaptations and interpretations.
COURSE POLICIES At the end of this course you should be able to:
DEPARTMENT OUTCOMES
GRADED ASSIGNMENTS 1) Summary Analysis (20%): You need to prepare a 7-10 min. presentation on a critical article about a scholarly approach to one of the plays we are reading and watching this semester. Some of the question that you might want to consider as you prepare for you presentation include: What approach did the author take? What is the author’s professional/scholarly background? How is the argument structured? What are its major points? Do you agree with this approach? Do you agree with the analysis and the conclusions it draws about the text, its author, and/or the performance, its director, actors, etc.? In what ways is this article useful to our understanding of the literary text, the cinematic representation of the play? Requirements: Your summary analysis need to be 1-page, single-spaced, font 12p, 1” margin all around. A complete MLA citation of your article needs to head your summary analysis. On the day of your presentation, you will need to bring in enough photocopies of your summary analysis for the rest of the class, i.e. 10 copies. If you rather I make copies for you, then you will need to bring in your summary analysis AT LEAST 2 DAYS PRIOR to your presentation. Together, your oral presentation and the typed version of your summary analysis will account for 20% of your final grade.
2) One short paper (15%): To complete this course successfully, you need to write one 2-4 page paper (3-5 for Graduate students) this semester (see the “calendar of events” for due dates). This paper will be your chance to respond to a text and its performance formally outside of class discussion and to record your reaction to and interpretation/analysis of a play, a theme, a motif, or a problem reoccurring in multiple plays in form of a brief essay. Note that this paper might be used as the first draft of your term paper. You need to integrate a minimum of two outside sources (3 for Graduate students) into this paper. You are expected to follow the rules of Standard Written English and MLA style formatting, incl. works cited page. Requirements: Your paper should be no fewer than 2 and no longer than 4 pages in length (3-5 for Graduate students) double-spaced, font 12p, with a 1” margin all around. Be sure to provide an introduction and a conclusion to your paper and organize your thoughts into coherent paragraphs. Note, please that a paragraph consists of a minimum of 7-10 sentences (this holds true for introductory and concluding paragraphs as well); anything shorter than that will be considered as “a fragment of a thought,” not as a paragraph, and it will not be counted as part of your argument. This assignment will account for 15% of your final grade.
3) Annotated Bibliography (15%): To complete this assignment successfully, you will need locate, read, and critically engage with 4 outside, scholarly sources (5 for Graduate students) about the texts and performances we have been viewing and discussing in class. You will need to write an Annotated Bibliography entry for each one of your sources. Note that this assignment may be considered as another step toward your term paper and that you may include annotation for the two sources (3 for Graduate students) that you incorporated into your short paper. As with all other work completed for this course, you are expected to follow the rules of Standard Written English and MLA style formatting; NO works cited page. Requirements: The entry needs to contain the following: 1) a complete and correct MLA citation of your source; 2) one 7-10 sentence paragraph summarizing the content of the document; 3) a second paragraph (3-5 sentences long) that evaluates its content, discusses its approach, and explains how you will use the source to support your term paper’s argument. This assignment will account for 15% of your final grade.
4) Term paper (30%): This is the final class project, and it is meant to be a critical analysis of a play and its performance, an overarching theme with several plays or performances, or a theme or motif within just one of the plays/performances we have read and viewed this semester. This is the most extensive project this semester, and its quality should be professional and scholarly in nature, including a discussion of scholarly, secondary sources. Think of this paper as your chance to demonstrate what you have learned this semester through our study of Shakespearean drama and performances. Your term paper may be an extension on one of your earlier shorter papers; it should be thesis-driven, well researched, and mechanically flawless. 5) Viewing Journals (10%): I’d like you to complete 1-page viewing journals on the assigned reading and on the films we watch in class. Your reading journals will helps us in our discussions about the readings and movie productions. A viewing guide will be provided to help you organize your thoughts. NOTE: Active class participation and the completion of assigned reading in preparation for class discussion and quizzes will account for 20% of your final grade.
GRADING This course and all its assignment will be graded on a standard scale from A to F, with A representing work greater in quality than 90% and F lower than 50%. Paper grades are determined by applying standards of logic, coherence, style, and mechanics. Class assignments, exams, and course projects are clearly marked with points and/or percentages; refer to the assignment section of this syllabus for assignment criteria and individual percentage allotments. The breakdown of grades looks as follows: A: 100-90% B: 89-80% C: 79-70% D: 69-60% F: 59-0% You may also consult http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/theile/grades.html for a description of standards applied to written assignments.
COURSE POLICIES Read these guidelines carefully—they are essential to your successful completion of English 482/682.
DEPARTMENT ATTENDANCE POLICY In compliance with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 333: Class Attendance and Policy and Procedure, located at <http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/333.htm>, the English Department has established the following attendance policy. All English Department courses require active learning. Students are expected to speak, listen, and contribute. Therefore, prompt, regular attendance is required. Students who miss more than four weeks of class during the standard academic semester (e.g. twelve 50 minute classes, eight 75 minute classes, or their equivalent) will not pass the course. Moreover, each student is accountable for all work missed because of absence, and instructors have no obligation to make special arrangements for missed work. Additional attendance requirements may be implemented at the discretion of the individual instructor.
In addition, the following policies are applied to English 482/682: Timely attendance in class is a requirement for all students in English 482/682; two late arrivals will count as one absence. Students with two absences (i.e. two weeks of missed class work) will earn an F for the course. The only way to make up for a missed class (excused or unexcused) is by writing an additional 2-4/3-5 page paper about the film/play whose discussion you missed on the day you were absent. No exceptions are made. Keep track of your absences. Regular and timely attendance is an absolute must.
CAMPUS RESOURCES Center for Writers: The Center for Writers is located in the library. The Center employs student tutors who will talk to you about your writing. Note, please, that the Center is not a proofreading service; expect tutors to offer suggestions for the overall improvement of your paper—no more, no less.
Reference Librarians: The reference librarians are another important resource for you; they are some of the most competent and helpful people on campus, and they will be happy to help you locate whichever information you need.
Media Library: Fran Fisher just ordered the entire PBS collection of Shakespeare movies for us. While they are not the most dramatic and best performed productions, they are certainly valuable interpretations of Shakespearean drama. Most importantly, they all adhere rather closely to the text and, thus, might be able to assist you in your own reading and comprehension of the various plays we will be working with this semester. You can never watch too many productions!
Minard Hall 322 F: If you have questions about assignment instructions or expectations, please come and see me. The quickest way to get in touch with me is by finding me in my office; option 2 is sending me an e-mail inquiry. I rank phone messages as option 3, because 1) I only receive/check messages when I’m in my office, and 2) NDSU phones do not support long distance calls, which disqualifies most of your cell phone numbers, I’m sure; leave local numbers or e-mail addresses only, please.
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY Plagiarism is grounds for failing the assignment and this course. All incidents of plagiarism and/or collusion will be reported to the department chair, the dean, and Student Affairs. There are no exceptions to this rule. Academic dishonesty is not acceptable in this or any other class at NDSU. All work for this course and all NDSU courses must be completed in a manner consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct; see www.ndsu.edu/policy/335.htm for policy details. Note that action will be taken immediately and that dismissal from the university lies at the discretion of the Dean of Student Affairs. Save drafts, notes, and outlines for all of your written and oral assignments. You are expected to provide evidence of significant invention and revision for all work produced for English 482/682; be prepared to do so, and keep track of your work notes. SPECIAL NEEDS In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I encourage students with special needs, students who need special accommodations in this course, to share these concerns or requests with me during the first week of class.
PORTFOLIO RECOMMENDATION FOR ENGLISH MAJORS
CALENDER OF EVENTS (tentative)
Week 1 (Re)DISCOVERING SHAKESPEARE Tuesday, June 16: Course Overview & Introduction to Shakespeare’s Life and 16th-century England Excerpts from PBS In Search of Shakespeare (Wood, 2003) 240 min. Wednesday, June 17: Shakespeare in Love (Madden, 1998) 123 min READ: Bevington, Chapters 1-3, pp. 7-33 Thursday, June 18: Looking for Richard (Pacino, 1996) 108 min READ: Bevington, Chapter 4, pp. 34-47 Friday, June 19: Lecture and Discussion, Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1600) READ: HAMLET, in Bevington, pp. 564-623
Week 2 FROM STAGE TO SCREEN Monday, June 22: Hamlet (Olivier, 1948) 155 min Tuesday, June 23: Hamlet (Zeffirelli, 1990) 130 min and Hamlet (Branagh, 1996) 242 min READ: Bevington, Chapter 5, pp. 48-69 Wednesday, June 25: Lecture and Discussion, Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606) Thursday, June 26: Macbeth (Polanski, 1971) 140 min READ: MACBETH, in Bevington, pp. 806-816 Friday: June 27: Throne of Blood (Kurosawa, 1957) 110 min Due: First short paper (3-5 pages)
Week 3 CONFRONTING GENRES Monday, June 29: Lecture and Discussion, Shakespeare’s King Lear (1605) Tuesday, June 30: King Lear (Brook, 1971) 138 min, King Lear (Sherin, 1974) 175 min, and King Lear (Olivier, 1984) 158 min READ: KING LEAR, in Bevington, pp. 757-766 Wednesday, July 1: Lecture and Discussion, Shakespeare’s Henry V (1599) Thursday, July 2: Henry V (Branagh, 1989)137 min READ: HENRY V, in Bevington, pp. 488-496 Friday, July 3: Henry V (Olivier, 1946) 137 min READ: Introductions to Genre, in Bevington, pp. 73-76, 323-325, 497-499, 817-819
Week 4 CROSSCULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS Monday, July 6: Hamlet (Almereyda, 2000) 112 min Due: Summary Analysis Due: Summary Analysis Wednesday, July 8: Macbeth (Wright, 2006) 110 min Due: Summary Analysis Thursday, July 9: Scotland, PA (Morrissette, 2001) 104 min Due: Summary Analysis Due: Second short paper (2-4/3-5 pages)
Week 5 ADAPTING SHAKESPEARE, Monday, July 13: Richard III (Loncraine, 1995) 104 min Due: Summary Analysis Due: Summary Analysis Due: Summary Analysis Due: Summary Analysis Friday, July 17: Prospero’s Books (Greenaway, 1991) 129 min Due: Term paper (8-10/8-12 pages)
NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to change, modify and adjust this syllabus and the above sketched, tentative calendar of events. It is your responsibility to take notes and stay informed. If you do not understand these policies, you must ask me for clarification or stop by my office at your earliest convenience. By staying in this class, you are showing your acceptance of and compliance with these guidelines.
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Last updated June 2009 |
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