Shakespeare
Fall, 2001
Dr. Lee Tobin McClain
406 St. Joseph’s Hall, ext. 4619, 830-1040
Office Hours: MW
1:30-3:30
e-mail: tobin@setonhill.edu
Th 2-3
& by appointment
Course
Description
This course covers selected works of Shakespeare,
tracing his development as dramatist and poet by examining the plays in roughly
chronological order. Extensive
discussion of the readings will be our major activity, with reading quizzes,
in-class writings, brief lectures, student presentations, and video showings
included as well.
Objectives
and Goals
By the end of the semester, you should be a
Shakespearean “expert”: able to read or view an unfamiliar play by
Shakespeare, place it in the context of his other works, understand its basic
plot and issues, enjoy it, and think through its meaning and implications for
yourself. To reach this goal, you
should be familiar with basic facts about Shakespeare’s life and times, and
you should know a wide range of his works.
Active discussion will be a part of all classes, but the course is
designed to move from teacher-oriented sessions to student-oriented sessions.
During the first half of the course, I will present brief lectures
introducing historical, social, and literary issues; during the second half,
small groups of students will work together to research an aspect of a play and
present it to the rest of the class. At
the end of the semester, you will read a new (to you) Shakespeare play of your
choice; your final project will be an independent analysis of that play.
Text
The Norton Shakespeare
or any other standard collection.
Grading
Reading quizzes:
15%
Class Participation: 10%
Paper One: 20%
Midterm Exam: 20%
Group Project: 10%
Final Paper: 25%
Attendance
and Deadlines
Your presence and involvement are crucial to the
depth and liveliness of discussions, the raising of fresh, important questions,
and ultimately, to the success of the course.
Therefore, missing more than two classes may lower your final grade.
In fairness to those who complete papers and quizzes on time, late papers
receive lower grades, and reading quizzes cannot be made up.
However, I will drop everyone’s lowest quiz grade.
Schedule
(complete reading by date listed)
Tues., Aug. 28:
introductions, sonnets 18, 73, 98, 130, 143.
Thurs.,
Aug. 30: The Merchant of Venice, Acts I-II.
Lecture/video: was
Shakespeare Shakespeare?
Tues.,
Sept. 4: The Merchant of Venice, Acts III-V. Quiz.
Thurs.,
Sept. 6: The Taming of the Shrew,
Acts I-II. Women in
Shakespeare’s world. Film clips.
Tues.,
Sept. 11: The Taming of the Shrew, Acts III-V. Quiz. Film
clips. Introduction to Paper One.
Tues.,
Sept. 13: Honors Convocation; no
class.
Tues.,
Sept. 18: Titus Andronicus (all).
Quiz. Lecture:
The “Problem Plays,” or, Bad Shakespeare.
Thurs.,
Sept. 20: Titus cont. Film clips.
Tues.,
Sept. 25: 1 Henry IV (all; note that this is the FIRST part of a two-part
series; make sure you read the right play).
Quiz. Lecture:
Renaissance Drama and Stage.
Thurs.,
Sept. 27: Henry cont. Film clips.
Tues., Oct
2: Watch My Own Private Idaho.
Thurs.,
Oct. 4: Paper One due.
Idaho continued.
Discussion: Revising
Shakespeare. Intro. to group projects
Tues., Oct.
9: As You Like It (all).
Quiz. Lecture:
Renaissance Comedy.
Thurs.,
Oct. 11: As You Like It cont.
Tues., Oct.
16: Extended Weekend; no class.
Thurs.,
Oct. 18: Hamlet (all). Quiz.
Lecture: tragedy. Project
group assignments and brief meetings.
Tues., Oct.
23: Hamlet. Lecture:
Imagery. Midterm Review.
Thurs.,
Oct. 25: Midterm Exam.
Tues., Oct.
30: Project Group Meetings.
Thurs.,
Nov. 1: Measure for Measure (all): quiz;
group project.
Tues., Nov.
6 Measure for Measure cont.
Thurs.,
Nov. 8: Othello (all): quiz;
group project.
Tues., Nov.
13: Othello cont.
Thurs.,
Nov. 15: Macbeth (all):
quiz; group
project.
Tues., Nov.
20: Macbeth cont.
Introduction to final paper.
Thurs.,
Nov. 22:. No class; Thanksgiving
(A great time to select and read your play for the final paper).
Tues., Nov.
27: Bonus play:
Much Ado About Nothing. Skim
the play if you have time and we will enjoy watching the film version in class.
Thurs.,
Nov. 29: Much Ado cont.
Discussion: popularizing
Shakespeare.
Tues., Dec.
4: The Tempest (all): quiz;
group
project.
Thurs., Dec. 6: The Tempest cont. Final reflections; course evaluations. Final paper due except for members of The Tempest group, who may turn in the paper Weds., Dec. 12, 1:00, 406 St. Joseph’s hall.