Required Texts:
Erasmus, Desiderius. The Praise of Folly and Other Writings. Trans. Robert M. Adams. New York: W. W. Norton & Company,             1989. ISBN: 0393957497
Gosson, Stephen. The School of Abuse: Containing a Pleasant Invective against Poets, Pipers, Players, Jesters, etc. Los                 Angeles: Adamant Media Corporation, 2001. ISBN: 1402164637
Greene, Robert. Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay. Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 1963. ISBN: 0803252625
Kyd, Thomas. The Spanish Tragedy (New Mermaids). New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1989. ISBN: 0393900576
Luther, Martin, and Desiderius Erasmus. Discourse on Free Will. Trans. Ernst F. Winter. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1998.                 ISBN: 0826477941
Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. Thomas C. Bergin. Wheeling: Crofts Classic, 1947. ISBN: 0882950533
Marlowe, Christopher. The Jew of Malta (Revels Student Editions). Manchester: Manchester UP, 1997. ISBN: 0719051800
The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Sixteenth Century and the Early Seventeenth Century. Gen Ed. Stephen                     Greenblatt. 8th Edition. Volume B. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006. ISBN: 0393927180 top

Course Description:
The sixteenth century gave rise to some of the greatest achievements in English Literature. William Shakespeare, of course, made his not so humble beginnings towards the end of the 1500s, writing some of his finest plays during the late sixteenth century—his Richard II through Henry V historical sequence, for example, and his famous romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. But he was not the only sensation; nor was he the most unique vogue of the day. Rather, he was the result of a period of immense creative energy. Unleashed and propelled by the Protestant Reformation and the invention of movable type, this energy produced writing. In the sixteenth century folks wrote, and they wrote profusely.

The Reformation and Humanism struck the European continent with full force, sending gushes of new and revolutionary ideas across the English Channel. But medieval beliefs were not replaced by these movements—neither in Europe, nor in England. Rather, they were complemented and supplemented by new findings and hypotheses, sometimes causing confusion but more often resulting in debates that reached back and forth and extended in both directions, away and towards the English Isles, thereby imbuing the early modern world with an internationalism and connectedness that had heretofore been unimaginable. Early moderns wrote treatises and tracts and entered into cross-national polemical discourses about the problem of free will, the responsibilities of rulers, the art of warfare, the conduct or courtiers, the nature of love, and the dangers of public performances.

Alongside philosophical debates, poetry and the poetic drama were born, at once claiming a comparable public forum. Poets and playwrights were concerned with matters similar to those of theologians, polemicists, and philosophers, but they were also concerned in representing their concerns and in reenacting public policy and public life. The early modern play in particular emerged as a new art form and a new genre. Unlike previous types of literature, this one was inherently public and a public space had to be created to host it. And it is thus that the English playhouse and the commercial theater experienced their nascence toward the end of the century. The English Renaissance stage became the place where this intense change in weltanschauung found its most vivid and controversial expression. This semester, we will look at the beginnings of “the debates” and we will examine how they impacted the stage literature of Renaissance England. top

Assignments, Projects, and Exams:
You will need to sign up for summary analyses and recital dates by Tuesday of week 2; a sign-up sheet will be available from Thursday on, and entries can be made during class time or by stopping by my office (e-mail request will not be considered). The deadlines for all assignments are inflexible; they are either clearly marked on your syllabus or chosen by you (when you sign up for an analysis presentation or a recital). It is your responsibililty to remember these due dates. top
At least one but no more than two short reflective papers (2-4 pages—double-spaced): This is meant to be an exploratory paper; no research should be required. I’m looking for your reaction to and interpretation of a play, a specific scene, or a certain theme reoccurring in multiple plays. You may choose to repeat this exercise if option 3 does not appeal to you. Each paper will account for 10% of your final grade.
At least one but no more than two summary analyses (1 page—single-spaced): This is meant to be a research-driven interpretive paper; it involves one critical, scholarly article. Besides summarizing and evaluating this article, you will be required to present your analysis to the class and to provide them with a short handout. The handout can be the same as the one-page paper that you need to submit to the instructor. Using MLA for the article citation, this paper must be submitted AT LEAST ONE DAY BEFORE your performance and be accompanied by a Xerox copy of your article. You may choose to repeat this exercise if option 3 does not appeal to you. Each of these brief research presentations will account for 10% of your final grade.
One dramatic recital (5-10 minutes): This is meant to be both exploratory and interpretive. It will be your job to choose a short passage from one of the readings this semester and to recite it to the class. You can pick either a polemic passage or a dramatic scene. A one paragraph (7-10 sentences!) explanation of why you chose this particular passage must be handed in on the day of your performance. Recitation is optional; you may choose to write a second reflective paper or present a second scholarly article instead. This will account for 10% of your final grade. top
NOTE: The caveat here is that you may not write the second paper about the same topic as the first; you may, however, recite a passage or present an article on the same text or theme as your short paper(s). Keep in mind that at least one short paper and one summary analysis are mandatory (see syllabus for submission dates—you may choose one or the other if you’re only submitting one paper—due dates for the write-ups accompanying the summary analyses and the recitals are the dates for which you sign up). And I realize that oral presentations can be intimidating and that you might be tempted to avoid the recitals, 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.
Term paper (12-15 pages—double-spaced): This is the final class project, and it 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 eight 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 40% of your final grade. top
Midterm and Final Exams: There will be two 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 texts read and discussed up to this particular exam (in case of the final exam, this does mean that all texts 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% of your final grade and the final for 15%.
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 early modern culture; these discussions will help you lessen your anxiety to talk about something as unfamiliar and often obscure as the English Renaissance. Journal questions (written and orally prepared and assigned randomly throughout the semester) 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 5% of your final grade.  top

Grading:
his 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

Course Objectives:
We will spend time on class discussions, focusing on the significance 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
5) Utilize and criticize scholarly articles on Renaissance texts.
6) Evaluate and appreciate various performative approaches to Renaissance texts. top

Course Policies:
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.
1) All assigned readings should be completed before class in preparation for class discussion and short in-class reaction papers on the reading material.
2) All assignments must be typed and proofread and follow common MLA style format.
3) No late assignments will be accepted; please plan accordingly.
4) Plagiarism is grounds for failing this class. For further information, please consult the section on Plagiarism at the end of this syllabus.
5) Timely attendance in class is a requirement for all students. Two late arrivals will count as one absence.
6) All students need to have a WSU e-mail account. Your WSU account is how will get in touch with you outside of class.
7) If you prefer using a different account (Yahoo!, Hotmail, AOL, Gmail etc.), set up pop mail to forward your WSU messages to this account. You are responsible for checking your e-mail regularly for class announcements. top

Absences:
English Department policy states that if students miss more than 6 days of class they cannot pass English 484. 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 whom you can contact to find out what happened in class on the day you were absent. top

Campus Resources that will help you stay on top of your work load:
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. You can view 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 484. To pass 302 you must attend 10 meetings during the semester and bring a piece of your own writing (from 484 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 go by the CUE to sign up for 302.
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 some of the scholarly articles you will need for 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. top
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 assignments or course expectations, please come and see me. I can guarantee you that I will be in my office during my scheduled office hours (MWF 2-3pm), but I am in my office or somewhere on the fourth or second 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 and feel free to leave a message for me if you need me to get in touch with you. Keep in mind though that WSU does not support long distance phone calls, so don't leave your out-of-town cell phone numbers. I will not be able to call you back if you do.
My AOL E-mail account:: The quickest and most reliable 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

A Few Other Important Odds and Ends:
ABOUT E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS: I am more than happy to answer questions and discuss research topics via e-mail. I do trust, however, that all e-mails will be written in a respectful, professional tone and that they will be proofread before they are sent. This is a university level English course; your writing needs to reflect that.
ABOUT PAPER SUBMISSIONS: You are welcome and encouraged to submit all writing, including your term paper, electronically via WebCT—E-mail submissions, however, are not a viable alternative and will not be accepted.
ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE COURSE: I encourage your honest and constructive feedback. If at any time during the semester you want to talk about how the class is going, have suggestions for improvement, or have thought of activities you would like to do in class, send me a note or come and see me. 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 a failing grade for the course, and all incidents of plagiarism and collusion will be reported to 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