MODERN BRITISH ENG 327-01, Spring 2015 M / W / F, 12:50–1:50 pm 311 Old Main ______

Dr. Andrew Ade Office: 407 Thompson-Clark [email protected] Office hours: Mon. 10-11:30 a.m. x7349 Tue. 3-4:30 p.m.; Th. 9:30-11 a.m. or by appointment

Texts to Buy: Smart, John. Twentieth Century British Drama. Barrie, J.M. The Admirable Crichton (1902), in Peter Pan and Other Plays. Churchill, Caryl. Cloud Nine (1979). Coward, Noel. Design for Living (1933). McDonagh, Martin. The Pillowman (2004). Orton, Joe. Loot (1966), in The Complete Plays: Joe Orton Osborne, John. (1956). Pinter, Harold. Betrayal (1978). Shaw, George Bernard. Pygmalion (1912).

Provided Texts: » MyWestminster Course Page: Palmer, T. A. East Lynne (1874). Rattigan, Terence. Separate Tables (1954). » Handouts: Hamilton, Cecily. Diana of Dobson’s (1908). Synge, John Millington. The Shadow of the Glen (1903). Yeats, William Butler. The Only Jealousy of Emer (1919). » Norton Anthology of : Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot (1953). Vol. F, 2619-77. Stoppard, Tom. Arcadia (1993). Vol. F, 2879-948. ______

English-Major Outcomes

We begin the syllabus with a review of the seven overall outcomes of the English Major.

English majors will demonstrate the following:

1. the ability to discuss literature, including engaging in an exchange of ideas and offering and supporting insights. 2. the capacity to sustain controlled, critical arguments that analyze and synthesize texts. 3. an understanding of the craft of writing, including concision, diction, grammar, and syntax. 4. the ability to produce creative writing that shows an awareness of language, freedom from cliché, and an understanding of genre, style, and topic. 5. the ability to identify and use a range of sources suitable to the scholarly conversation on a particular topic, to evaluate and integrate source material, and to document accurately. 6. an understanding of the literary tradition, the historical and cultural contexts of literature, and critical methods of reading. 7. the ability to give well-planned, engaging presentations.

ENG 327-01, Modern British Drama Ade—Spring 2015

Course Goals

Students in ENG 327 shall:

• read representative and, in many cases, groundbreaking dramatic works by acclaimed British and Irish playwrights from the late 19th century to the present • view these plays as reflections of their times in Britain’s social (and theater) history • apply essential concepts of dramatic composition and theater production to their discussion of the selected plays • analyze the play texts not only as representations of the human relationship issues of gender, marriage and family but also of the larger national health (e.g., politics, class structure, economic disparity). • interpret film and video selections of the plays and analyze artistic choices in staging, directing, and acting key scenes

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Outcomes Assessment: The instructor will assess your learning and acquisition of the course material by means of the following:

• your daily contributed discussion of the assigned play and textbook readings • your work in periodic quizzes/exercises on the readings and presentations • your ability to answer questions and build on your cumulative knowledge of modern British cultural and theater history • your grasp of major playwriting terms, basic concepts and theater staging milestones • your ability to follow the instructions for the short papers and discussion leader assignment • your engagement in the plays under discussion and the presented video clips • your careful rewriting of returned papers based on the course Style Sheet and instructor’s editing marks for style, grammar and organization • your diligent application of the skills you have learned in WRI 111 and SP 111 in your final project paper and in-class oral presentation

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Course Requirements

Papers: 45% (10, 15, 20%). Three short, analytical papers. Topics: salient dramatic or theatrical elements in the course plays; the current critical interest in the plays; a comparative study of two plays. I will provide guidelines for each assignment.

Midterm: 20%. An hour midterm exam to test your character and play-excerpt recognition as well as your ability to explain (in brief) key thematic material in the plays.

Quizzes/Exercises: 15%. Students will have several brief quizzes and exercises on the plays and our analytical approach to explicating dramatic texts.

(Cont.)

2 ENG 327-01, Modern British Drama Ade—Spring 2015

Creative Writing Exercise: 5%. Each student will try his or her hand at a small exercise in playwriting as per handout guidelines.

Class Discussant Duty: 5%. Each student will select one day on the course schedule for which he or she will prepare questions to lead the class in the day’s discussion of the assigned play.

Participation: 10%. You are required to participate actively and responsibly throughout the semester. Studying theater in this class is a social activity, and your failure to participate will adversely affect you and your classmates. I divide the participation grade evenly into two areas:

1) Attention – (5%). Listening to the instructor and each other, without private chatter 2) Speaking – (5%). Contributing regularly, in small-groups or whole-class discussion

Course Policies

Attendance: You are allowed three absences (excused or unexcused) without penalty; for each additional absence, however, I will lower your final grade by one degree of letter grade (e.g. a B- becomes a C+). If you must miss class, contact me (phone/e-mail) as soon as possible.

Late Work: All work (drafts, revisions, final papers, homework) is due at the beginning of class on the day I indicate. If you have an emergency, please contact me; as a general rule, however, I will not accept late work. You must be present in class to get credit for your work.

Final grades will be assigned using the standard formula:

A 93-100 points B + 87-89 points C + 77-79 points D + 67-69 points A - 90-92 points B 83-86 points C 73-76 points D 63-66 points B - 80-82 points C - 70-72 points D - 60-62 points

STEPS FOR TURNING IN PAPERS:

1. Ensure that the Microsoft Word document follows the College preferences for presentation: 1” margins; pagination (but not page 1); 12 pt. Times New Roman font; no added space in the “Line Spacing” default; Page 1, upper left corner info: your name, my name, “ENG 327” and the date; a title. 2. Double check that you have followed all the rules on the Style Sheet. 3. Run a “Spelling” check on your text and a “Word Count” to verify required length. 4. Make a hard-copy printout to staple and submit in class by the day it is due. If unable to print your paper, you may submit it as an email attachment to me. If possible, print your paper double-sided to save on paper. 5. No cover sheet or special binding needed. ______

3 ENG 327-01, Modern British Drama Ade—Spring 2015

CLASS SCHEDULE

[NOTE: All listings below are subject to change during the semester.]

DATE TOPIC IN-CLASS ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT M – 1/12 Introduction Syllabus; Drama elements W – 1/14 Critical Approach 1 Semiotics: Actantial Models F – 1/16 Critical Approach 2 Bentley, “Melodrama” (handout)

M – 1/19 NO CLASS NO CLASS NO CLASS W – 1/21 Women sacrificing East Lynne: Acts 1-2 (MyW page) F – 1/23 Women sacrificing East Lynne: Acts 3-4 (MyW page)

M – 1/26 Topsy-turvydom Smart, 6-½11 The Admirable Crichton: Acts 1-2 W – 1/28 Topsy-turvydom The Admirable Crichton: Act 3-4 F – 1/30 Women transforming Smart, ½11-14 Pygmalion: Act 1

M – 2/2 Women transforming Pygmalion: Acts 2-3 W – 2/4 Women transforming Pygmalion: Acts 4-5 F – 2/6 Women living it up Smart, 110-16 Diana of Dobson’s: Acts 1-2

M – 2/9 Women living it up Smart, 14-16 PAPER 1 DUE Diana of Dobson’s: Acts 3-4 W – 2/11 New Irish drama Smart, 59-69; Shadow of the Glen F – 2/13 New Irish drama The Only Jealousy of Emer

M – 2/16 Daring Threesome I Smart, 17-19 Design for Living: Acts 1-2 W – 2/18 Daring Threesome I Smart, 20-24 Design for Living: Act 3 F – 2/20 Quiet Protest Smart, 24-27 Separate Tables (MyW page)

M – 2/23 MIDTERM EXAM MIDTERM EXAM MIDTERM EXAM W – 2/25 Angry Young Men Smart, 27-30; 70-71 Look Back in Anger: Act 1 F – 2/27 Angry Young Men Look Back in Anger: Act 2

M – 3/2 Angry Young Men Look Back in Anger: Act 3 W – 3/4 Angry Young Men Smart, 35-½38; 98-103 FILM: Look Back in Anger F – 3/6 Angry Young Men FILM: Look Back in Anger

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3/7 to 3/15 Spring Break

M – 3/16 Anarchy! Smart, 49-½52 Loot: Act 1 W – 3/18 Anarchy! Smart, 81-82 Loot: Act 2 F – 3/20 Sexual Politics Smart, 41-46 Cloud Nine: Act 1

M – 3/23 Sexual Politics Smart, 47-48 PAPER 2 DUE Cloud Nine: Act 2 W – 3/25 Daring Threesome II Smart, 33-34; 83-½84 Betrayal (Scenes 1-4) F – 3/27 Daring Threesome II Smart, ½84-½87 Betrayal (Scenes 5-9)

M – 3/30 Daring Threesome II FILM: Betrayal W – 4/1 Daring Threesome II FILM: Betrayal

4/2 to 4/6 EASTER BREAK

W – 4/8 Time bends Smart, ½52-56, 87-88 Arcadia: Act 1 (NA: F, 2879-917) F – 4/10 Time bends Smart, 57, 90-½92 Arcadia: Act 2 (NA: F, 2917-948)

M – 4/13 Cosmic trap Smart, 30-32; NA: F, 2619-77 CREATIVE WRITING Waiting for Godot: Act 1 EXERCISE DUE W – 4/15 Cosmic trap Waiting for Godot: Act 2 F – 4/17 Cosmic trap FILM: Waiting for Godot

M – 4/20 Cosmic trap FILM: Waiting for Godot W – 4/22 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM F – 4/24 Writer beware! The Pillowman: Act 1

M – 4/27 Writer beware! The Pillowman: Act 2 W – 4/29 Writer beware! The Pillowman: Act 3 F – 5/1 Course Review PAPER 3 DUE

T – 5/5 11:30 am – 2:00 pm COURSE FINAL COURSE FINAL

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