English 345 Shakespeare Fall 2007

English 345.01 Shakespeare                                                                        Fall 2008
Dr. Stephan Flores (sflores@uidaho.edu)                                                       www.uidaho.edu/~sflores
12:30-1:45 pm TR TLC 023
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~sflores/                                                    885-6156; 885-6147
MW 1:00-2:00 p.m. & by appt.                                                                       315 Commons

Teaching Practicum Course Assistant: James Banks (Senior English major), jamesbanks@vandals.uidaho.edu

Prerequisite: English 102 or equivalent; English majors must have completed or be currently enrolled in English 210 or English 175, or enroll by permission of instructor. Nonmajors are encouraged to have completed a prior college level literature or theater course, but this is not required.

Required Texts:
The Norton Shakespeare. Second edition. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. Norton, 2008. Four-Volume Genre pbk Set or one-vol. hbk.
McEvoy, Sean. Shakespeare: The Basics. Second edition. Routledge, 2006.
Criticism and other historical texts available on library reserve.

Course Description: We will study Shakespeare's drama through primary and secondary texts and films, and exchange points of view as we work together to develop our understanding (enjoyment!) of selected plays in the genres of comedy, history, "problem play," tragedy, and romance. Through assigned readings, class and group discussions, and written analyses, the class shall explore the social, sexual, political, performative, and formal issues that these texts represent, and consider Shakespeare's development as a playwright. Written work includes Discussion-Starter questions/comments, a Critical Analysis, a Critical Essay, and a Term Essay.

Syllabus/Course Schedule

Plays:
The Most Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus (1589-92)
The Comical History of the Merchant of Venice, Or Otherwise Called the Jew of Venice (1596-97)
The Life of Henry the Fifth (1599)
As You Like It (1598-1600)
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1599-1601)
Twelfth Night, Or What You Will (1600-1602)
Measure for Measure (1603-04)
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (1603-04)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (1606-07)
The Winter’s Tale (1609-11)

Requirements:

1. Ten written Discussion Starters: a thesis or problem-driven/question-posing critical response (approximately 150 words each) to some aspect of the text(/performance) of each play, and/or related critical commentary on each play (from our Norton edition’s introductory headnotes and from Shakespeare: The Basics). Discussion Starter #2 (which may be longer than 150 words) must include a paraphrase and explicating commentary of 10-14 lines or so that you find significant from The Merchant of Venice. A paraphrase restates and translates to provide the gist of the original (the paraphrase both explains and alters meaning). An explication presents a meticulous line-by-line close reading (annotation) to provide a questioning sense of the text’s meanings, methods, and implications. The explication is explanatory and implicitly argumentative: an occasion for you to clarify and advance your interpretation of the passage and its function. Discussion Starters present a means for you and the class to share enthusiasms and doubts as you delve into the text’s significance, methods, and effects. No late entries —Discussion Starters are due in class (hard copy), with copies posted on Blackboard at least three hours prior to class (by 9:30 a.m. but preferably the night before class). Incomplete or insufficient discussion-starter entries will be counted against your semester grade (see below).

2. The Critical Analysis assignment on The Merchant of Venice or Henry the Fifth (850 words, single-spaced, titled) directs you to explore a significant issue and rhetorical strategy that you identify in relation to cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts and concerns. Your topic may be prompted in part by our discussions, by published scholarship/criticism, and of course by your reactions and understanding. Your analysis can be quite "thesis-driven"—that is, you may find it effective to compose a thesis for your response that maps out for readers the engaging, important points that you want to develop—or you may prefer a more reflective, question and problem-posing approach.

3. In-class midterm exam on As You Like It and Hamlet; bring bluebooks.

4. Critical Essay on Titus Andronicus, or The Merchant of Venice, or Henry the Fifth, or Twelfth Night, or Measure for Measure (do not write about the play that was the subject of your prior Critical Analysis); 1600 words for main body of essay, double-spaced, with reference to at least one piece of secondary criticism beyond our assigned reading in the Norton edition and in McEvoy, such as a recent (since 1990) substantial article from a professional journal (e.g., Shakespeare Quarterly), or book chapter, (e.g., from book on library reserve), as suggested in the Norton edition, McEvoy, or our class website recommendations for criticism on each play. The primary aims of this thesis-seeking/problem-posing exploratory essay assignment is to engage with the play and its critical interpretation/reception by identifying problems, developing claims and arguments, and enriching your literary understanding, interests, and commitments. Use/learn Modern Language Association format.

5. Term Essay on play or plays (excluding topic of prior Critical Essay and Critical Analysis, 2100-2200 words for main body of essay, double-spaced (12 pt, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, MLA format), with significant reference to at least two secondary works of criticism, such as recent articles or book chapters: this critical essay develops ideas prompted by our study, discussion, and viewing of the plays, by recent scholarship, and by your perspectives. I shall attend to the ways that you select, define, and engage questions and contradictions, and to the clarity, imagination, and grace that you demonstrate in presenting your topic, (hypo)thesis, and argument, and the extent to which your work engages with, explains, and contributes to the larger "conversation" of scholarship on the topic and drama under analysis. I do not always expect essays to conclude by "solving" such problems or by "proving" your thesis; I hope that you address interesting topics (questions for debate, interpretation, and analysis) in thoughtful and useful ways. Please feel invited to confer with me or with James Banks during the writing process.

6. Participation: Please take advantage of opportunities to share your insights and to listen and reply to others' ideas. I hope that questions and discussions will enable you to move the class in directions you find most helpful, give you opportunities to develop critical skills through collaboration, and provide for a productive, interesting exchange of perspectives among the class.

7. All required work is due at the beginning of class on the due date—work turned in late will be graded accordingly. Required graded written work will be downgraded one notch (for example, B+ to B, converted to points for each assignment) for each weekday late (not just days classes meet but counting just one day for a weekend). Work submitted more than a week late will not be accepted. I will grant short extensions for medical and family emergencies—but talk with me as soon as possible to request an extension. Always keep copies of your work.

8. Attendance: If you have no absences by the semester's end (excused or not), you will receive four bonus points; with only one absence you will receive three bonus points. Two absences will not affect your semester grade; a third absence will lower your semester total by five points, with a six-point reduction for each additional absence (four absences=minus 11 points, five absences = minus 17 points); six or more absences will cause you to fail the class, regardless of your semester point total. Almost all absences will be counted—excused or not—if something extraordinary occurs, talk to me.

9. Grades: Critical Analysis (40 pts); Midterm Exam (50 pts); Critical Essay (100 pts); Term Essay (130 pts). These required assignments add up to a maximum of 320 points. Thus 288-320 points equals an A, 256-287 equals a B, 224-255 equals a C, 192-223 equals a D, and anything below 192 merits an F. I shall also reserve a potential seven bonus points based on my perceptions of the strength of your participation and efforts over the semester; in addition, incomplete or insufficient discussion-starter entries will be counted against your semester grade, with the loss of four points for each missing or incomplete entry, to a maximum loss of 36 points.

10. Office hours. I encourage you to confer with me—especially before assignments are due—to talk about your interests, intentions, and writing strategies. If you cannot make my regular hours (in 315 Commons), we’ll arrange another time. I also welcome communicating with you by E-mail (sflores@uidaho.edu). Conferences with James Banks to discuss your writing and ideas also may be arranged (jamesbanks@vandals.uidaho.edu).

11. Use of laptops and cell phones during class is prohibited; occasional use of laptops—typically for group work and to access the online components of the class—may be permitted with instructor’s approval.

12. Do not submit work for this class that you have submitted or intend to submit for a grade in another course; as always, be careful to cite anyone else's work that you draw upon. See highlighted link on the class website to a useful guide to avoiding plagiarism, and a link to information on the university's policies regarding plagiarism.

Additional reference sources for further study/research: I have placed over 40 works on UI Library Reserve, under English 345 Shakespeare (collections of essays etc.). Do not rely upon or incorporate research from non-refereed, non-“scholarly” sources or publications. As noted above, seek secondary sources from the bibliographies in our texts.

Syllabus/Course Schedule

Overview of Evaluation Guidelines, Criteria, and also Resources for Critical Essays

Questions on Titus Andronicus

Examples of some Journal Entries on MND [pdf]

Questions on As You Like It

Synopses of 1 & 2 HIV [pdf]

Study Questions on 1 Henry IV [pdf]

Examples of some Journal Entries on 1 HIV [pdf]

Questions on Hamlet

Flores's Questions on Macbeth

Examples of some Journal Entries on Macbeth [pdf]

Prof. Boyer's Study Questions on Macbeth