Dr. Carolyn J. Brown
This semester we will read six of Shakespeare’s plays. Students should emerge from this course feeling comfortable with Shakespeare’s language, having detailed knowledge of these six plays, and having an understanding of the culture that produced Shakespeare and that he in turn helped to produce through his plays.
Required Text: The Necessary Shakespeare, Edited by David Bevington.
Attendance and Etiquette: You are allowed 3 “free” absences during the semester. (If you have a very good reason for missing class, call or e-mail me in advance or as soon after the absence as possible.) After that, you’re out of luck and out of the class. Repeated late entrances or early exits from class are rude and disruptive. The only thing I can think of that is more rude and more disruptive is the sound of a cell phone ringing in class. To avoid your embarrassment and my wrath, please avoid all lapses in etiquette!
I expect you to come to class every day having carefully read the assigned texts for that day. I suggest you read them more than once in order to be ready to discuss them. You are responsible for keeping up with the reading and writing assignments for any class that you miss. Call or e-mail me if you’re unsure about an assignment.
Activities and Grading:
Informal Study Questions: On Fridays, a 1-2 page response to a study question pertaining to one of our plays will be due. These short papers will account for 10% of your final grade.
Oral Report: Each member of the class will memorize a passage from a play and recite it in front of the class. This presentation will account for 10% of your final grade.
Test: One test on historical/dramatic background and Shakespeare’s life will be given. It will account for 15% of your grade.
Papers: Two papers (one on a Shakespearean comedy, the other on a tragedy), 5 pages in length, will be due at the completion of each unit. These papers will account for 40% of your grade. You may revise one paper for a higher grade. None of the papers will be accepted after the due date unless an extension has been granted in advance.
Research Paper: A research paper, incorporating critical research and approximately 8-10 pages in length, will be due Wednesday, December 8. It will account for 25% of your final grade. There will be no final exam in this class.
Academic Integrity Policy: Be sure to familiarize yourself with the university’s Academic Integrity Policy (particularly the section on plagiarism) which is printed in your student calendar/handbook and available on-line at http://saf.dept.uncg.edu/studiscp/Honor.html.
Writing Center: Located in 101 McIver and open Mon-Thurs, 9am-8pm, Fri. 9am-3pm, and Sun. 5pm-8pm, the Writing Center is an excellent place to get advice, suggestions, instruction or moral support when you are writing a paper for this or any other class. Call 334-3125 for an appointment or just drop in during hours.
Speaking Center: You can practice your oral presentation in the Speaking Center in 22 McIver before presenting it to the class. You can videotape it and get pointers from the student consultants there. It’s open Mon. 10am-8pm, Tues-Thurs, 10pm-6pm and Fri. 9am-12pm. Call 256-1346 for an appointment.
You can reach me at my office (224D McIver) during designated office hours. Feel free to e-mail me at drkates@triad.rr.com or call me at home (574-2299) before 9:00pm if you have questions or concerns.
Fall 2004: Introduction to Shakespeare
M 8/16 Introduction/Syllabus/Text
W 8/18 Bevington, General Introduction, viii-xxi
F 8/20 Bevington, General Introduction, xxi-xxvi
M 8/23 Bevington, General Introduction, xxvi-xxxiv
W 8/25 Bevington, General Introduction, xxxv-xxxix
F 8/27 Bevington, General Introduction, xxxix-xlviii
M 8/30 Bevington, General Introduction, xlviii-lv
W 9/1 Bevington, General Introduction, lv-lxiii
F 9/3 Bevington, General Introduction, lxiii-lxix
W 9/8 Bevington, General Introduction, lxix-lxxiii
F 9/10 Review for Quiz
M 9/13 Quiz
W 9/15 The Merchant of Venice (MOV), Introduction & Act I
F 9/17 MOV, Acts II & III
M 9/20 MOV, Acts IV & V
W 9/22, Conclusion MOV
F 9/24, Study Question 1 due; As You Like It (AYLI) Introduction & Act I
M 9/27 AYLI, Acts II & III
W 9/29 AYLI, Acts IV & V
F 10/1 Study Question 2 due; Twelfth Night (TN) Introduction & Act I
M 10/4 TN, Acts II & III
W 10/6 TN, Acts IV & V
F 10/8 Study Question 3 due; Conclusion Unit One
W 10/13 Paper #1 Workshop
F 10/15 Introduction to Shakespearean Tragedy
M 10/18 Paper #1 due; Romeo & Juliet (RJ) Introduction & Act I
W 10/20 RJ, Acts II & III
F 10/22 RJ, Acts IV & V
M 10/25 RJ, Movie
W 10/27 RJ, Movie
F 10/29 Study Question 4 due; Conclusion of Movie
M 11/1 Othello (O), Introduction & Act I
W 11/3 O, Acts II & III
F 11/5 Study Question 5 due; O, Acts IV & V
M 11/8 Macbeth (M), Introduction & Act I
W 11/10 M, Acts II & III
F 11/12 Study Question 6 due; M, Acts IV & V
M 11/15 Conclusion Unit II
W 11/17 Paper #2 Workshop
F 11/19 Paper #2 due; Oral Presentation Practice
M 11/22 Discussion of Research Paper
M 11/29 Research Paper Workshop
W 12/1 Oral Presentations
F 12/3 Oral Presentations
M 12/6 Last Class Meeting
W 12/8 Research Paper Due