School of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
Department of English,
Foreign Languages, and Journalism
Professor:
Dr. Elizabeth Latosi-Sawin Office: Eder Hall 215
Phone: 271-4274 Office hrs: By
appointment
Email: sawin@missouriwestern.edu
Section
01 Time:
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
To
read and analyze several of Shakespeare’s plays as literary texts AND as
scripts meant to be performed
As literary texts:
To understand Shakespeare’s artistic development (internal structure of plays, methods of characterization, conventions of genre, recurrent themes)
To demonstrate understanding of Shakespeare’s
vocabulary, syntax, and stylistic techniques
(including a study of some
of his sonnets)
To set Shakespeare’s work in the context of the
historical period in which he lived
To learn how Shakespeare transformed the sources he
used
As scripts:
To learn what makes an
action “dramatic”
To identify the tasks
directors face and the skills actors must have
To understand the theatrical setting of Elizabethan plays and the differences in live performances in other venues, videos of stage productions, and film adaptations
To analyze the directorial interpretations of
Shakespeare’s texts embodied by specific performances
REQUIRED
TEXTS:
The
Riverside Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd edition
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Films,
in-class writings, discussions, quizzes and video showings can’t
be “made-up.” Once these activities occur they are lost to you. Likewise, your
contributions are lost to us when you are not here. ONE absence in a night class is equivalent to
three missed classes. One absence is
understandable. Two will affect your grade.
DISABLED
STUDENT POLICY:
If
you have a recognized disability that requires special consideration, please
make an appointment to see me during the first week of classes so that we can
discuss privately how I might help you succeed.
ACADEMIC
HONESTY:
You
are expected to do your own reading and writing in this course. Any student who submits someone else's work
as his or her own will receive no credit (0 points) for that assignment. A second infraction will earn an
"F" in the course. Taking ideas from articles published anywhere without
citation or copying work from other students is NOT acceptable behaviors.
GRADED ASSIGNMENTS:
Paper
on Sonnet 100 points
Paper
on Shakespearean in Performance 100
points
4 MAPS
of plays 100
points
In-class
ESSAYS / TESTS 100 points
KING
LEAR (map, summary, test) 100
points
In-class
writing/attendance/participation 50 points
TOTAL: 550 points (A=90-100% of total points; B= 80-89.75%;
C=70-79.75%; D=60-69.75; F= 59.75% or less)
ASSIGNMENTS:
June 6 Introduction to the
course.
In Search of Shakespeare:
Early Youth Part I
Introduction
to sonnets. Presentation and analysis of “Lo, as a careful housewife
runs to catch”
June
8 In
Search of Shakespeare: The Lost Years Part II
Shakespeare’s English
(exercises)
Sawin’s
Notes on Shakespeare’s Sonnets (from Hallett Smith’s
introduction in
Additional handout on “Lo, as a
careful housewife runs to catch”
For June 13th read 18
assigned sonnets (and, if possible, treat yourself to a reading of the entire
sequence)
Select 5 of the assigned sonnets
you like the most. Choose 2 you would consider analyzing for your paper.
Find one that you would like to
memorize
June
13 In Search of Shakespeare: Part
III
In small groups, paraphrase selected sonnet.
Check out commentary on
http:www.Shakespeares-sonnets.com/index.htm
For June 15
write the first draft of an essay in which you explain the growth in your
understanding.
June
15 In class: Richard II
June
20 Over the
weekend: Read Henry V: Do a MAP (written instructions given
in class)
In class: Complete viewing of Richard II
June
22 Catch up.
Read Henry IV Part I (No map necessary)
In-class viewing of Richard Branagh’s Henry V.
June
27 LIVE PERFORMANCE of Henry V in
Bus will be in the Library
Parking Lot at
Bring camp chair, water, and
food if you like
June
29 Revised Paper on Sonnet DUE.
Assignment on Henry V
(Shakespeare in Performance) given: DUE July 6.
In-class
viewing of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
July
4 NO
CLASS
July
6 Sonnet papers and Maps returned.
In-class mid-term test and essay
on Richard II
and Henry V.
Read handouts on
(a.) political theory (b) political power (c) notes taken from Herschel Baker
Read
introductions to both plays in our
In-class: Shakespeare’s theatre
AND genre (Hilda Spear’s site)
July
11 Read Much
In Search of Shakespeare: Finish seeing Part III
July
13 Read Othello. Prepare a MAP
July
18 Essay Due comparing Much Ado and Othello: Comedy’s Turns & Tragedy’s Inevitable Paths
In Search of Shakespeare: Finish Part III and IV
July
20 Read King Lear (Acts I and II)
Prepare a MAP
July
25 Read King Lear (Acts III, IV, and V)
Prepare a MAP
July
27 Paper on
King Lear due / Performance of Sonnets