Eng 340                                                                                                           Later Shakespeare

Fall 2002                                                                                                          Russ McDonald

 

SCHEDULE

August       20  Introduction to the Course

22  Reading Day (no class): Begin reading Othello; Read Bedford Companion, Introduction & Chapter 1

27  Othello

29    Othello Quiz

30    September 3  Othello Bedford Companion Chapter 2

  5  Othello

10  Measure for Measure

12  Measure for MeasureQuiz

17  Measure for Measure Bedford Companion, Chapter 3 

19  Measure for Measure

24  King Lear

26  King Lear Quiz

 October 1 King Lear Bedford Companion. Chapter 4

  3  King Lear

  8  King Lear Bedford Companion, Chapter 5

10  Midterm Examination

15   Fall Break

17  Macbeth

22  Macbeth  Quiz

24  Macbeth Bedford Companion, Chapter 6

29  Antony and Cleopatra

31  Antony and Cleopatra Quiz

 November 5  Antony and Cleopatra Bedford Companion, Chapter 7

  7  Antony and Cleopatra

12  The Winter’s Tale

14  The Winter’s Tale Quiz

19  The Winter’s Tale Bedford Companion, Chapters 8 and 9

21  The Winter’s Tale

26  The Tempest Quiz 

28  Thanksgiving Recess

December 3  The Tempest Bedford Companion, Chapter 10

  5  The Tempest

Final Examination

 

INSTRUCTOR

            Russ McDonald

            McIver 126; Phone:  334-4694 (voice mail)

            e-mail address: r_mcdona@uncg.edu

            web page: http://www.uncg.edu/~r_mcdona/home.html

 

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30-4:30; also by appointment.  You are encouraged to consult me about problems in reading, for help with writing papers, and on other such matters.

 

From the computer on which you receive e-mail, send the following message to listproc@uncg.edu: Subscribe English-l yourfirstnameyourelastname (with the lower case L, not the numeral 1 following English).

 

TEXTS

            G. B. Evans, ed.  The Riverside Shakespeare, 2nd. ed  (Houghton Mifflin, 1997).  Any modern text with adequate notes may be used instead of the Riverside.  Older editions without notes or with minimal introductory matter are unacceptable; using such a faulty text will damage your performance in the course and thus damage your grade.

            Russ McDonald, The Bedford Companion to Shakespeare, 2nd Edition (St. Martin’s, 2001).

 

STUDENT LEARNING GOALS

 

     Upon completion of ENG 340, you will

 

*          be able to read a Shakespeare play, as well as other works of literature, with pleasure and understanding

*          demonstrate an understanding of the components of drama generally

*          be able to apply your reading and critical skills to other texts

*          have attained a more sensitive appreciation for language

*          have acquired a general understanding of Elizabethan culture, particularly its theatrical and literary aspects

 *         be able to write an effective analysis of a literary work

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

             Work load: there will be substantial reading, one critical paper, a quiz on each play, and a mid-term and final examination.  On the first day devoted to a play, you should have read at least half of it, i.e. you should be well into Act Three.  You will then need to finish the play by the next class.

            The quiz, given on the second day devoted to the play, will cover the entire work and is designed to see that you are reading carefully.  There will be ten questions and a bonus.  Questions will concern characters, their actions, paraphrasing of lines, and other such basic information.  (A sample quiz is available on my web page.)  One quiz grade will be dropped; there are no make-ups on quizzes.

            Regular attendance is expected, and participation in discussion is encouraged and rewarded.  Absence will damage your performance.

            Papers are due on the date assigned, at the beginning of class.  Late papers will be penalized in fairness to those who have sacrificed other duties to finish their papers on time.

Plagiarism or other violations of the University Honor Code will be dealt with harshly.  My web page contains information that may be helpful in the preparation of papers

            Grades will be calculated according to the following imprecise scale: the two tests count about half; quizzes and critical paper count about half; you may improve your grade by regular class participation and by improvement over the course of the term.

 

FILMS AND VIDEOS

            Filmed versions of most of the plays have been placed on reserve in the Teaching and Learning Center, McNutt Building, corner of Forest and Spring Garden Streets.  The tape is usually available one week before we take up the play in class.  You are strongly encouraged to avail yourselves of these performances, while recognizing that watching the video will not substitute for a careful reading of the play.  Ideally, you would read the play carefully, then watch a filmed performance, and then re-read certain scenes of the text.   Many of the films I have designated, as well as other versions, are available for rent at commercial video stores and for borrowing at the public library.

 

On Reserve:

 

                        Othello  (two versions)

                        Measure for Measure (BBC)

                        King Lear (Laurence Olivier)

                        Macbeth  (RSC)

                        The Winter’s Tale (BBC)

                        The Tempest (RSC)

                        Also, through September 15:  Shakespeare in Love