English 415: Drama (Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English)
Fall 2014
Instructor: Dr. E. Derek Taylor Office: Grainger 306
Office Phone: 395-2748 Office Hours: MTuesWF 3:00-4:00 (and by appointment)
Email: [email protected] website: [email protected]
Course Description: Study in the tradition and qualities of drama as a unique genre with emphasis on one or more forms or a period in which the genre flourishes. May be repeated for credit when topic changes. 3 credits. WR (with C- or higher).
Text: The Broadview Anthology of Restoration and Early Eighteenth-Century Drama.
Ed. J. Douglas Canfield. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2005.
Course Objectives. In this course, we will concentrate on two primary objectives:
1. We will read a substantial number of plays (twelve total) in order to achieve a broad understanding of the development of drama in England between the late seventeenth century and the late eighteenth century. Simply reading the assigned pages, however, will not suffice; both you as students and I as instructor will have to do more than just trudge through texts. For my part, I will come prepared for each class with an assemblage of contextual information, ranging from contemporary philosophical, religious, economic, or political ideas, writings, or controversies, to more recent critical work by scholars of literature and of the history of ideas. Furthermore, I will bring a loose “plan” for each class meeting, based upon passages from the play in question that warrant attention and discussion. In order to maximize our class time, however, I will need your assistance.
2. This leads us to the second goal, namely honing your abilities to articulate orally and in writing interpretations of single works of literature and thematic connections between multiple ones.
--Expository essays (I will count your best ten): 20%
--Presentation: 10%
--Midtterm Examination: 10%
--Research Paper: 20%
--Final Exam: 20%
--Quizzes: 20%
--Class Participation: +/-
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one letter grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Consistently tardy students will be remembered as such when participation grades are calculated.
Late work will not be accepted in this class. Turn in papers on time, and be in class on the day of all exams. I do not provide make-up quizzes for any reason.
Class Schedule: (I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule by giving oral notification in class. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for subsequent classes.)
Week 1
M. 8-25. Introduction to Course
W. 8-27. George Etherege, The Man of Mode; or, Sir Fopling Flutter (1676), Acts 1-2
F. 8-29. The Man of Mode, Acts 3-5
Week 2
M. 9-1. Class Canceled for Labor Day
W. 9-3. William Wycherley, The Country Wife (1675), Acts 1-2
F. 9-5. Presentation 1. The Country Wife, Acts 3-5
Week 3
M. 9-8. Presentation 2. Aphra Behn, The Rover (1677), Act 1
W. 9-10. The Rover, Acts 2-3
F. 9-12. The Rover, Acts 4-5
Week 4
M. 9-15. Presentation 3. John Dryden, All for Love; or, the World Well Lost (1677), Act 1
W. 9-17. All for Love, Acts 2-3
F. 9-19. All for Love, Acts 4-5
Week 5
M. 9-22. Presentation 4. Thomas Otway, Venice Preserv’d; or, A Plot Discovered (1682), Act 1
W. 9-24. Venice Preserv’d, Acts 2-3
F. 9-26. Venice Preserv’d, Acts 4-5
Week 6
M. 9-29. Presentation 5. Catherine Trotter, Love at a Loss (1700), Act 1
W. 10-1. Love at a Loss, Acts 2-3
F. 10-3. Love at a Loss, Acts 4-5
Week 7
M. 10-6. Presentation 6. William Congreve, The Way of the World (1700), Act 1
W. 10-8. The Way of the World, Acts 2-3
F. 10-10. The Way of the World, Acts 4-5
Week 8
M. 10-13. Class Canceled for Fall Break
W. 10-15. Practice for Midterm Examination
F. 10-17. Midterm Examination
Week 9
M. 10-20. Presentation 7. Nicholas Rowe, The Fair Penitent (1703), Act 1
W. 10-22. The Fair Penitent, Acts 2-3
F. 10-24. The Fair Penitent, Acts 4-5
Week 10
M. 10-27. Presentation 8. Richard Steele, The Conscious Lovers (1722), Act 1
W. 10-29. The Conscious Lovers, Acts 2-3
F. 10-31. The Conscious Lovers, Acts 4-5
Week 11
M. 11-3. Presentation 9. John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (1728), Act 1
W. 11-5. The Beggar’s Opera, Act 2
F. 11-7. The Beggar’s Opera, Act 3
Week 12
M. 11-10. Presentation 10. George Lillo, The London Merchant (1731), Act 1
W. 11-12. The London Merchant, Acts 2-3
F. 11-14. Presentation 11. The London Merchant, Acts 4-5
Week 13
M. 11-17. Presentation 12. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, School for Scandal (1777),Act 1
W. 11-19. School for Scandal, Acts 2-3
F. 11-21. School for Scandal, Acts 4-5
Week 14
M. 11-24. Mandatory Conferences (Monday and Tuesday).
W and F. Classes Canceled for Thanksgiving
Sat. 11-29. Rough draft of Research Paper due (attach in an email before 5:00pm).
Week 15
M. 12-1 . Presentation 13. In-class film: Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night (1773; we’ll watch a 2008 adaptation)
W. 12-3. In-class film
F. 12-5. Research Paper due. In-class film
Week 16
M. 12-8. Final Examination (8:00-10:30)
Fall 2014
Instructor: Dr. E. Derek Taylor Office: Grainger 306
Office Phone: 395-2748 Office Hours: MTuesWF 3:00-4:00 (and by appointment)
Email: [email protected] website: [email protected]
Course Description: Study in the tradition and qualities of drama as a unique genre with emphasis on one or more forms or a period in which the genre flourishes. May be repeated for credit when topic changes. 3 credits. WR (with C- or higher).
Text: The Broadview Anthology of Restoration and Early Eighteenth-Century Drama.
Ed. J. Douglas Canfield. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2005.
Course Objectives. In this course, we will concentrate on two primary objectives:
1. We will read a substantial number of plays (twelve total) in order to achieve a broad understanding of the development of drama in England between the late seventeenth century and the late eighteenth century. Simply reading the assigned pages, however, will not suffice; both you as students and I as instructor will have to do more than just trudge through texts. For my part, I will come prepared for each class with an assemblage of contextual information, ranging from contemporary philosophical, religious, economic, or political ideas, writings, or controversies, to more recent critical work by scholars of literature and of the history of ideas. Furthermore, I will bring a loose “plan” for each class meeting, based upon passages from the play in question that warrant attention and discussion. In order to maximize our class time, however, I will need your assistance.
2. This leads us to the second goal, namely honing your abilities to articulate orally and in writing interpretations of single works of literature and thematic connections between multiple ones.
- To this end, you will be responsible for writing weekly expository essays (typed, double spaced, no more than one page in length); you may submit one per week on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday (I will count your best 10). These papers should display a concerted attempt to come to terms with, if not definitively answer, a specific question about the reading for the day; indeed, the title for each essay must be the question you are addressing. We will use these papers in part to structure class discussion.
- You will also be responsible for giving an in-class presentation that addresses a particular (but randomly assigned) topic. Presentations should be precisely 10 minutes in length and should rely on substantive research. Powerpoint may be used, but only if doing so enhances your presentation (i.e., be sure to avoid the mind-numbing practice of reading aloud information contained on slides).
- You will take a midterm examination at the end of week eight and a final examination during week 16. At the end of the semester, you will write a ten-page research paper, a rough draft of which will be submitted by email (as noted on the below schedule). An assignment sheet and grading rubric for the paper will be available on my website by no later than week 10.
--Expository essays (I will count your best ten): 20%
--Presentation: 10%
--Midtterm Examination: 10%
--Research Paper: 20%
--Final Exam: 20%
--Quizzes: 20%
--Class Participation: +/-
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one letter grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Consistently tardy students will be remembered as such when participation grades are calculated.
Late work will not be accepted in this class. Turn in papers on time, and be in class on the day of all exams. I do not provide make-up quizzes for any reason.
Class Schedule: (I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule by giving oral notification in class. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for subsequent classes.)
Week 1
M. 8-25. Introduction to Course
W. 8-27. George Etherege, The Man of Mode; or, Sir Fopling Flutter (1676), Acts 1-2
F. 8-29. The Man of Mode, Acts 3-5
Week 2
M. 9-1. Class Canceled for Labor Day
W. 9-3. William Wycherley, The Country Wife (1675), Acts 1-2
F. 9-5. Presentation 1. The Country Wife, Acts 3-5
Week 3
M. 9-8. Presentation 2. Aphra Behn, The Rover (1677), Act 1
W. 9-10. The Rover, Acts 2-3
F. 9-12. The Rover, Acts 4-5
Week 4
M. 9-15. Presentation 3. John Dryden, All for Love; or, the World Well Lost (1677), Act 1
W. 9-17. All for Love, Acts 2-3
F. 9-19. All for Love, Acts 4-5
Week 5
M. 9-22. Presentation 4. Thomas Otway, Venice Preserv’d; or, A Plot Discovered (1682), Act 1
W. 9-24. Venice Preserv’d, Acts 2-3
F. 9-26. Venice Preserv’d, Acts 4-5
Week 6
M. 9-29. Presentation 5. Catherine Trotter, Love at a Loss (1700), Act 1
W. 10-1. Love at a Loss, Acts 2-3
F. 10-3. Love at a Loss, Acts 4-5
Week 7
M. 10-6. Presentation 6. William Congreve, The Way of the World (1700), Act 1
W. 10-8. The Way of the World, Acts 2-3
F. 10-10. The Way of the World, Acts 4-5
Week 8
M. 10-13. Class Canceled for Fall Break
W. 10-15. Practice for Midterm Examination
F. 10-17. Midterm Examination
Week 9
M. 10-20. Presentation 7. Nicholas Rowe, The Fair Penitent (1703), Act 1
W. 10-22. The Fair Penitent, Acts 2-3
F. 10-24. The Fair Penitent, Acts 4-5
Week 10
M. 10-27. Presentation 8. Richard Steele, The Conscious Lovers (1722), Act 1
W. 10-29. The Conscious Lovers, Acts 2-3
F. 10-31. The Conscious Lovers, Acts 4-5
Week 11
M. 11-3. Presentation 9. John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (1728), Act 1
W. 11-5. The Beggar’s Opera, Act 2
F. 11-7. The Beggar’s Opera, Act 3
Week 12
M. 11-10. Presentation 10. George Lillo, The London Merchant (1731), Act 1
W. 11-12. The London Merchant, Acts 2-3
F. 11-14. Presentation 11. The London Merchant, Acts 4-5
Week 13
M. 11-17. Presentation 12. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, School for Scandal (1777),Act 1
W. 11-19. School for Scandal, Acts 2-3
F. 11-21. School for Scandal, Acts 4-5
Week 14
M. 11-24. Mandatory Conferences (Monday and Tuesday).
W and F. Classes Canceled for Thanksgiving
Sat. 11-29. Rough draft of Research Paper due (attach in an email before 5:00pm).
Week 15
M. 12-1 . Presentation 13. In-class film: Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night (1773; we’ll watch a 2008 adaptation)
W. 12-3. In-class film
F. 12-5. Research Paper due. In-class film
Week 16
M. 12-8. Final Examination (8:00-10:30)