English 102: Introduction to Drama
Course Objectives:
This class has the potential to make you an intelligent and savvy theatre attendee. The main goal for you this semester is to understand how to talk and write about drama. To that end we will be discussing the vocabulary of the genre, learning how to see drama as a collaborative effort of many different arts, learning how to watch and critique drama, and learning to take the historical moment into consideration when thinking about drama. In order to see drama as multi-dimensional, we will be watching videos, attending performances, and even performing a bit ourselves.
Required Texts:
Stages of Drama: Classical to Contemporary Theater, fifth edition
Recommended Text:
A Pocket Style Manual, fourth edition by Diana Hacker
Course Requirements and Policies:
Attendance and Participation. Coming to class on time and actively participating in discussions and activities are necessary. Participation includes chiming in during class discussion, but also actively taking part in in-class work, and coming to my office hours for discussion and help. If you miss a class, you are responsible for making up any and all work that you missed; please contact a classmate for the information and assignments, then come to my office hours with any remaining questions that you have. After six absences, your grade will drop 1/3 of a letter grade for each day missed. (See the Life Happens Clause).
Readings. You will have an assigned amount of reading to complete before each class period so that we can have productive discussions. Please have the entire play read prior to the first day of the unit (a unit = a play), read the selection more than once throughout the unit and think about the discussion questions (preferably by writing out answers). Please keep up with the reading so that we have the benefit of each other’s ideas.
Analytical Response Papers.* Analytical response papers are meant to give you the chance to work through difficult or stimulating passages in the plays. These should be about 2-3 pages and you should consider them as practice for the exams and papers. I will comment on them and grade them on a check, check plus, check minus scale. You must turn in a total of two response papers; one Greek and one Shakespeare. Due dates are below.
Theatre Review.* Because understanding the multi-dimensional aspect of the theater is so important to your understanding of drama, you are required to see 2 live dramatic performances and write a 3-4 page (typed) theatre review on one of the performances (ticket and program must be attached). Look in your anthology and in the New York Times Art and Leisure section for samples of reviews. Krannert productions are great options, but if you are in Chicago or the surrounding area, other live productions are also possible options. You must see one of the plays that we have read and you must read the script of any play you see. If you have any questions, please talk to me before you buy tickets, as most theatre tickets are non-refundable. I will provide a list of some on campus options and will be announcing other options.
Scene Performance. Early in the semester you will sign up to present a scene from one of the plays. Your group will choose an important scene from the play and present it in two interpretations. Your scene should include costume suggestions, the use of minimal props and sets, and memorized lines (yes, memorized lines). Each person will also turn in a paper that includes an analysis of the scene and a statement that supports the interpretations. (4-5 pages)
Quizzes. I reserve the right to implement pop quizzes if I feel that people are not keeping up with the reading. If you keep up with the homework, there will be no need to have them.
Mid-term. The mid-term exam will take place in class and will probably consist of at least vocabulary, identifications, and short answers.
Final Exam or Paper*. You have the option of either sitting for the final exam on Saturday Dec. 17 from 8-11pm or writing a 7-10 page paper, or performing a scene (this scene would be in addition to the scene that you will perform). If you are writing a paper, it is due on Dec. 12 by 5pm and should be put in my mailbox. Please approve this choice with me by the last week of October by scheduling a conference with me.
Performing all of these tasks is a minimum for passing the course.
Extra credit. There are three possible extra credit assignments that you may do: (1) Memorize and perform a monologue (2) Be in a campus production (3) See a third performance and write an additional review. You must approve anything with me before you begin. Extra credit will be accepted until Dec. 5.
*All written assignments must be typed and formatted to MLA standards (1 inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, stapled together, no title page, properly documented, works cited). Refer to A Pocket Style Manual (or another grammar handbook) to answer questions about format, citations, and mechanical issues. If you are having trouble with written assignments, it is best that you make an appointment with the Writer’s Workshop.
The Big Scary Plagiarism Paragraph
Article 1, section 4 (d), of the University of Illinois Student Code defines plagiarism as “Representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic endeavor. This includes copying another person’s paper or working with another person when both submit paper without authorization to satisfy an individual assignment.” Also note that section 4 (b) states that: “Students have been given notice of the rule by virtue of its publication…Ignorance of a rule is never a defense.” A full copy of the Student Code is available on line at http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/policy/code/.
The university considers plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty to be a serious breach of academic ethics.
Please do not plagiarize. I will find out, we will have to have an ugly conference, I have to fill out incriminating paperwork, recriminations will be severe and can include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, or expulsion from the university. And everybody has a bad day.
Life Happens Clause
Because life happens, you are allowed one late analytical response paper (though both must be in before you can sit for the midterm), one late paper, one tardy, one absence, no excuse necessary, no questions asked, no penalties. A late paper means that it gets turned in the next class period. (I suggest you save the freebies for the mid- to late- portion of the semester when you are swamped with work, having a personal crisis, and catch a cold.) If you are turning in an assignment late, I need a hard copy of a typed note from you telling me you are aware of your obligation and clearly stating the due date. Late papers will be graded according to my schedule and may not have end comments. The final paper may not be late. Please note that I do not accept any assignments electronically. If you find you are not able to keep up or if you have a crisis in your life that prevents you from keeping up, please come see me immediately so that we can decide together what is the best mode of action for you.
Grading Breakdown
10% Attendance and participation (possible quizzes)
10% Performance
10% Analytical responses
30% Papers (scene analysis and review)
20% Midterm
20% Final
Tentative Schedule of Major Due Dates:
Fri. Sept. 2—Response #1 due
Wed. Sept 14—Response #2 due
Fri. Sept. 23—Response #3 due
Fri. Sept. 30—Response #4 due
Fri. Oct. 7—Midterm
Mon. Nov. 7—Last day accepting Performance Papers
Mon. Dec. 5—Last day accepting Reviews and Extra Credit
Mon, Dec. 12—Final Papers due (Take home final due?)
Sat. Dec. 17—Final Exam Scheduled
Tentative Reading Schedule
Wed. Aug. 24—Introduction to course
Fri. Aug. 26—Intro to Drama: read Trifles and “Reading and Witnessing a Play” (pages 1-11)
Mon. Aug 29— The Bacchae
Wed. Aug 31— The Bacchae
Fri. Sept. 2— The Bacchae (Response #1 due)
Mon. Sept. 5—No class, Labor Day
Wed. Sept. 7—The Bacchae
Fri. Sept. 9— Lysistrata
Mon. Sept. 12— Lysistrata
Wed. Sept, 14— Lysistrata (Response #2 due)
Fri. Sept. 16—Performance Day (Group 1)
Mon. Sept. 19—Guest Speaker Much Ado About Nothing
Wed. Sept. 21—Much Ado About Nothing
Fri. Sept. 23—Much Ado About Nothing
Mon, Sept 26—Much Ado About Nothing (Response #3 due)
Tues. Sept. 28—Much Ado About Nothing
Fri. Sept 30—Othello
Mon. Oct. 3— Much Ado Performance Day (Group 2)
Wed. Oct. 5— Othello
Fri. Oct. 7— Othello
Mon. Oct. 10— Othello (Response #4 due)
Wed. Oct 12— Othello Performance Day (Group 3)
Fri. Oct 14— Midterm Test Day
Mon. Oct. 17— The Rover (Othello Scene Analysis Papers due)
Wed. Oct. 19— The Rover
Fri. Oct. 21— The Rover
Mon. Oct. 24— Performance Day (Group 4)
Wed. Oct. 26— The Importance of Being Earnest (Rover Scene Analysis Papers due)
Fri. Oct. 28— The Importance of Being Earnest
Mon. Oct. 31— The Importance of Being Earnest
Wed. Nov. 2— Performance Day (Group 5) (Imp. Of Being Earnest Scene Analysis papers due)
Fri. Nov. 4— Top Girls
Mon. Nov. 7— Top Girls Last Day accepting Performance Papers
Wed. Nov. 9— Top Girls
Fri. Nov. 11— Performance Day (Group 6)
Mon. Nov. 14— A Raisin in the Sun (Top Girls Scene Analysis Papers due)
Wed. Nov. 16— A Raisin in the Sun
Fri. Nov. 18— A Raisin in the Sun
Mon. Nov. 21—Thanksgiving Break
Wed. Nov. 23—Thanksgiving Break
Fri. Nov. 25—Thanksgiving Break
Mon. Nov. 28— M. Butterfly
Wed. Nov. 30— M. Butterfly
Fri. Dec. 2— M. Butterfly
Mon. Dec. 5— Last day accepting reviews Final review
Wed. Dec. 7—Final performance Day
Fri. Dec. 9—Final (In class exam)
Dec. 12—17 Final Exam week
Sat. Dec. 17 (8-11pm)—Final Exam Scheduled