Shakespeare

English 230

Mr. David A. Salomon

E-mail: das93006@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Office: JHA 436

Office Hrs: MW 11-12 and by app't

Phone: 6-4356/6-2141

You may have read Romeo and Juliet or Julius Caesar or even, perhaps, Macbeth in high school. But Shakespeare is much more. The Shakespeare "canon" contains thirty-seven plays, a few long poems, and a one hundred and fifty-four sonnet cycle, not to mention several poems recently "discovered" which may or may not have been written by Shakespeare. This course will present you with an introduction to Shakespeare. We will read mostly tragedies and comedies, looking at only one history play (it is assumed you will read more histories in the second semester of the course), and we'll read about a play a week. We will also discuss, somewhat speculatively, who Shakespeare was and how he was received by his contemporary audience.

Unless otherwise noted, we will spend between three and four classes for each of the plays we will study. Oftentimes, we will devote the fourth class to viewing part of a filmed version of the play under discussion. You should read accordingly, being prepared for class discussion and the occasional quiz.

In addition to reading the plays and discussing questions of genre, we will examine some of the major critical issues in the plays through secondary materials on reserve in the library. We'll take a glance at both "classic" Shakespeare scholarship as well as current theoretical approaches to the plays.

Remember that these plays were written to be performed, not read. As such, you should take a look at filmed or staged versions of some of the plays. Several interpretations of each film are available at the Culpepper Video Library on the third floor of Babbidge.

Constant consultation with your fellow classmates and the instructor is recommended. All assignments must be handed in on-time; papers handed in late will receive a one grade deduction for each class late. There will be no makeup quizzes. Both papers must be typed and double-spaced and contain margins no more than one inch on all sides. They must be titled, their pages numbered (by hand if necessary), and be written in a standard 12 point font. Papers written in large fonts will be returned ungraded; papers without an argument or thesis statement will automatically receive an 'F.' The paper and the analysis must be on two different plays.

Requirements:

One brief (8-10 page) paper on a play and topic of your choosing, due Monday, April 26 (40%)

One analysis of a filmed version of one play (4-6 pages), due whenever you finish it, but no later than Friday, April 23 (more details forthcoming) (20%)

Final Exam (30%)

Five or six reading quizzes (quizzes are unannounced and cannot be made up-the lowest grade will be dropped) (10%)

Required Texts:

The Complete Works of Shakespeare, ed. David Bevington, updated fourth edition (Addison-Wesley). Yes, it's a beast. Yes, it's expensive. But it is the standard edition of Shakespeare for any serious study. You will need to bring it with you to every class, so start working out now.

Occasional articles on reserve in Homer Babbidge Library

Syllabus:

This syllabus is highly-tentative and will be adjusted as the semester progresses; announcements will be made in class and will be posted to the class' home page at

http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~salomon/230/home.html

Course Introduction

W, 1/20: Beginnings

F, 1/22: Bevington, pp. xii-xxv (to section "The Intellectual Background")

M, 1/25: Bevington, pp. xxvi-xxxviii ("The Drama Before Shakespeare" to "Sir Philip Sidney as Dramatic Critic"); and Bevington, pp.lxxvii-lxxxiv ("Shakespeare's Language" to "Editions and Editors")

Romeo and Juliet

W, 1/27: 1, 2 and 3

F, 1/29: THIS CLASS WILL NOT MEET

M, 2/1: 4 and 5

W, 2/3

A Midsummer Nights Dream

F, 2/5: 1 and 2

M, 2/8: 3 and 4

W, 2/10: 5

F, 2/12

The Merchant of Venice

M, 2/15: 1 and 2

W, 2/17: 3 and 4

F, 2/19: 5

M, 2/22

Henry V

W, 2/24: 1 and 2

F, 2/26: 3 and 4

M, 3/1: 5

W, 3/3:

F, 3/5

Twelfth Night

F, 3/5: 1 and 2

M, 3/8: 3 and 4

W, 3/10: 5

F, 3/12

SPRING BREAK: 3/15-3/19

Hamlet

M, 3/22: 1

W, 3/24: 2

F, 3/26: 2-3

M, 3/29: 3-4

W, 3/31: 5

F, 4/2: 5 (in-class viewing)

M, 4/5: Video

[Special complete showing of Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet," date, time, and place TBA]

Titus Andronicus (or Macbeth)

W, 4/7: 1 and 2

**Brief Paper Topics Due

F, 4/9: 3 and 4

M, 4/12: 5

W, 4/14

King Lear

F, 4/16: 1 and 2

M, 4/19: 3 and 4

W, 4/21: 5

F, 4/23: **All Analysis Papers Due

The Poetry

M, 4/26: specifics to be announced

**Brief Papers Due

W, 4/28

F, 4/30

M, 5/3: Last Day of Class