Eng 381W English
Drama to 1800
Fall 2002 Russ McDonald
22 Reading Day (no class): Begin reading The Spanish Tragedy
27
Thomas Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy
29
The Spanish Tragedy
September 3 Christopher Marlowe, The Jew of Malta
5 The Jew of Malta
10 Marlowe, Doctor Faustus
12 Doctor Faustus
17 Thomas Dekker, The Shoemaker’s Holiday
19
The Shoemaker’s Holiday
24 Thomas Middleton (or Tourneur) The Revenger’s Tragedy
26 The Revenger’s Tragedy
October 1 Midterm Examination
3
Ben Jonson, Volpone
8 Volpone
10 Volpone
17
Jonson, The Alchemist
22 The Alchemist
24 The Alchemist
29 John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi
31
The Duchess of Malfi
November 5 Middleton and
Rowley, The Changeling
7 The Changeling
12 John Ford, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
14 ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore
19 William Wycherley, The
Country Wife
21 The Country Wife
26 The Country Wife
5 The Rivals
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
Drama of the English Renaissance, ed. David Bevington et. al. (Norton, 2002)
Restoration and
Eighteenth-Century Comedy, Ed.Scott McMillin 2nd Ed. (Norton,
1997)
Other
texts are not acceptable, unfortunately, and you cannot do the work for the
course without owning the books.
STUDENT LEARNING GOALS
Upon completion of ENG 381W, you will
* be able to read an early modern work of drama, as well as other works of literature, with understanding and pleasure
* be able to demonstrate an understanding of the components of drama generally
* be able to apply your reading and critical skills to other texts, literary and otherwise
* have acquired a general understanding of English culture of an earlier age, particularly its theatrical and literary aspects
* be able to write an effective analysis of a literary work (and have improved your writing generally)
* probably be exhausted but gratified at having completed a challenging and satisfying course
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Work load is heavy: there will be substantial reading (approximately one challenging play per week), several short (one-page) critical papers, one longer paper (to be revised), and a mid-term and final examination. On the first day devoted to a play, you should have read all of it. A successful class depends on familiarity with the text by instructor and students: thus, if it appears that class members are not doing the reading, quizzes will be given to ensure compliance with this guideline. Class will involve a combination of lecture and conversation, 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; the papers will also count about half; you may improve your grade by regular class participation and by improvement over the course of the term.