University of Massachusetts, Boston
Department of English
ENGL 328 Stage & Page: Drama 1900-Today
Spring 2012 MWF 1:00-1:50
Dr. Nancy Finn Office Hours MWF 12:00-12:50
Office: Wheatley 6th floor, #20
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will be a study of American, European, British, and Irish dramatic literature from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Your course catalogue states that we will pay attention to “themes, forms, styles, staging, and performance.” What this means is we will have an exciting opportunity to consider the uniqueness of dramatic literature, in that it exists both on the page and for the stage. Playwrights must consider not only literary elements such as theme, style, and narrative structure, but also staging, performance, audience reception, and other conventions unique to the theatre. Plays are written to be read, but also to be performed: witnessed by audiences, embodied by actors, interpreted by directors and designers. We will take all of these creative aspects of drama into consideration when dealing with works by such well-known authors as Ibsen, Strindberg, Brecht, Miller, and Beckett, as well as the contemporary theatre voices of writers like Mark O’Roweand Marina Carr. Come prepared to discuss not only the playwright’s intent, but also your own unique creative vision of how these plays might be performed today.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Worthen, W. B., ed. The Wadsworth Anthology of Drama, Brief 6th Edition(Available in UMB Bookstore or online. Also available for rent online.)
*Note: This is the BRIEF edition. The full edition is much longer and will cost more.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- To explore a variety of modern and contemporary theatrical traditions and styles.
- To be able to recognize and respond critically to works of theatre and drama.
- To practice multiple ways of seeing, thinking about, and responding to theatre.
- To appreciate the vital role theatre and the arts play in contemporary society and culture.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Come to class on time. Read all assigned texts and come to class prepared to discuss them.
Note: If you sit silently all semester, you will not receive an A in the course, because your participation grade will be an F, and it is worth 10% of your final grade.
Write mid-term paper and final paper, and submit them on time.
Attend a performance of a play and write a critical response.
Successfully give a prepared final presentation.
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance: Your attendance is crucial to your success in the course. Attendance will be taken at every class. Please do not come late to class. Arriving late three times will result in one absence. Arriving more than 15 minutes late to any class will result in your being marked absent. You are allowed 3 absences. If you acquire more than 3 absences (that is, you’ve missed more than one week of classes), you will fail the course.
Participation: Throughout the course we will engage in open-ended discussion – I am interested in your ideas! Participation is not the same as attendance. Showing up to class on time and staying until the class is over is the bare minimum expected of you as a member of the course. Your active and thoughtful participation is essential. At the end of the semester I will raise or lower your grade based on participation (consistent thoughtful participation is expected, lack of participation will lower your final grade, excellent participation will raise it).
Preparation: You must attend class prepared to participate in class discussions and activities by carefully reading the assigned material. “Close reading” means re-reading, taking notes, circling passages that jump out at you, stopping to reflect, and writing down your reflections. Reading closely is expected. This also means bringing the text to class with you.
Papers: Assigned papers must be typed and turned in on the due date, at the start of class. NOTE:No electronic submissions of any papers (hard copies only).
Policy On Late Papers: Final Paper: cannot be submitted late, and will not be accepted after the due date. Midterm Paper: One day: ten points deducted. Two days: twenty points deducted. Any paper not submitted two days after the due date will not be accepted at all.
Plagiarism: Students are required to adhere to university policies on academic honesty and student conduct. The current Code of Student Conduct is available online at
Disabilities: If you have a disability and feel you need accommodation in order to complete course requirements, please contact the Ross Center for Disability Services at 617-287-7430. Please be advised that I cannot make accommodations for any student without written recommendation from the Ross Center for Disability Services prior to the grading of any assignment.
Classroom Conduct: You are expected to focus on the materials under discussion and be ready to participate. Therefore, please turn cell phones OFF. Texting is not allowed. If I see you texting during class, you will be marked absent for that day. Take headphones out and turn off iPods and any other electronic devices. Laptops may not be used.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Critical Responses: For each play, you will either come prepared to write about scenes, images, dialogue, directorial concepts, character interpretations, and other elements of the play or you will be asked to write these at home and bring them to class with you. These informal responses will be graded on a credit/no credit basis, and will be worth 20% total.
Formal Papers: You will write two formal papers: a Midterm Paper and a Final Paper. You will also write one Performance Response, which will require your attendance at a play. Details on these papers, topics, and all requirements will be handed out separately. There will be no Midterm Exam or Final Exam, the papers will take the place of exams.
Presentation: You will give a prepared presentation at the end of the semester. Details to follow.
GRADING PERCENTAGES:
- Participation 10 %
- In-Class Written Critical Responses20 %
- Performance Response20 %
- Mid-term Paper20 %
- Final Paper20 %
- Final Presentation10 %
An I (Incomplete) is assigned only when students engaged in passing work are unable to complete class assignments for medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances.
Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment to meet with me during the semester!
ENGL 328: Stage & Page: Drama 1900 – Today
Spring 2012: Reading and Assignment Schedule (Subject to Change)
(“Read” means reading is due on that day, all readings in the WAD unless otherwise noted)
WEEK 1
M 1/23:Introduction & Welcome to the Course!
W 1/25:Aristotle’s Poetics
F 1/27:Introduction to Realism
Read: Glaspell, Trifles
Read: Glaspell, A Jury of Her Peers
WEEK 2
M 1/30:Realism, Stanislavsky, and Ibsen
Read: Stanislavsky, “Direction and Acting”
Read: Ibsen, A Doll’s House
W 2/1:A Doll’s House continued
Read: Ibsen,Notes for the Modern Tragedy
F 2/3:A Doll’s House continued
WEEK 3
M 2/6:Naturalism, Strindberg, and Zola
Read: Strindberg, Miss Julie
Read: Strindberg, Preface to Miss Julie
Read: Zola “Naturalism in the Theatre”
W 2/8:Miss Julie Continued
F 2/10:Miss Julie Continued
WEEK 4
M 2/13:Realism and Early Expressionism
Read: Miller, Death of a Salesman
Read: Miller, Tragedy and the Common Man
W 2/15:Death of a Salesman continued
F 2/17:African-American Drama
Read:Wilson, Fences
Read: Wilson, “The Ground on Which I Stand”
Read: Brustein, “Subsidized Separatism”
WEEK 5
M 2/20:NO CLASS: PRESIDENT’S DAY HOLIDAY
W 2/22:Expressionism
Read: Treadwell, Machinal
F 2/24:Magical Realism
Read: Carr, By the Bog of Cats
WEEK 6
M 2/27:Gay Fantasia on National Themes
Angels in America
W 2/29:Angels in America continued
F 3/2:Angels in America continued
WEEK 7
M 3/5:Angels in America continued
W 3/7:NO CLASS: work on midterm papers
F 3/9:NO CLASS: work on midterm papers
WEEK 8
M 3/12 – F 3/16NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK!
WEEK 9
M 3/19:***MIDTERM PAPER DUE***
Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre
Read: Brecht, “The Modern Theatre is the Epic Theatre”
W3/21:Read: Brecht, Mother Courage and her Children
F 3/23:Mother Courage continued
WEEK 10
M 3/26:The Theatre of the Absurd
Read: Esslin, “The Theatre of the Absurd”
Read: Beckett, Endgame
W 3/28:Endgame
F 3/30:Beckett continued
WEEK 11
M 4/2:Revolutionary Theatre and Contemporary Drama
Read: Baraka, Dutchman
Read: Baraka, “The Revolutionary Theatre”
W 4/4:Read: Gambaro, Information for Foreigners
F 4/6:Read: Padmanabhan, Harvest
WEEK 12
M 4/9:Read: M. Butterfly
W 4/11:Read: The Pillowman(pdf)
F 4/13:The Pillowman continued
WEEK 13
M 4/16:NO CLASS: PATRIOTS DAY HOLIDAY
W 4/18:Read: O’Rowe, Terminus (pdf)
Read: Artaud, “The Theatre and its Double”
F 4/20: Terminus continued
WEEK 14
M 4/23:Final thoughts on the plays
W 4/25:Presentations Begin on Final Paper Topic: Directorial Concept
F 4/27:Presentations
WEEK 15
M 4/30:Presentations
W 5/2:Presentations
F 5/4:Presentations
WEEK 16
M 5/7:Presentations
W 5/9:Presentations
***LAST DAY OF CLASSES – FINAL PAPER DUE***