English 2210: Shakespeare
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Spring 2010 |
Instructor: M. Jamal (M3074) |
Required Text: David Bevington. The Complete Works of
Shakespeare, 5th Edition
Reference Text: Diana Hacker. Rules for Writers, 6th Edition
Oh, that this too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon against self-slaughter! Oh God, God,
How weary stale, flat and unprofitable
Seems to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed.
Hamlet, 1.2, 129-136
English 221 is an immersion course that provides an introduction to Shakespearean drama and poetry. Through the study of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Coriolanus, and The Tempest, the subgenres of comedy, tragedy, history and romance will be explored. Apart from the six representative plays, we will also study a handful of sonnets. It is expected that a close reading of the plays and the sonnets will lead to a clear understanding of the changing interests, themes, dramatic interests, and the genius of William Shakespeare.
Scheduled Reading*: January 25--May 17
Week of:
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Jan. 25 |
Introduction to Shakespeare. Begin Hamlet : Act 1 |
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Feb. 1 |
Hamlet : Acts 2 and 3 |
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Discussion: Tragedy and Characters |
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8 |
Hamlet Act 4 and 5 |
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Discussion: Plot and Setting |
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15 |
Introduction to Comedy. Differences between Shakespearean
Comedy and Tragedy |
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A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1 through
3 |
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22 |
AMND continued: Acts 4 and 5.
Discussion: Characters, Setting, Plot |
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March 1 |
Othello: Acts 1-3 |
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Paper #1 Due March 3 |
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8 |
Othello: Acts 4 and 5. |
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Discussion and comparison between Othello and Hamlet |
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15 |
King Lear: Acts 1-3 |
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22 |
King Lear: Acts 4 and 5. Discussion |
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Mid-term Exam (March 26) |
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29 |
March 29-April 4: Spring Break |
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April 5 |
Coriolanus: Acts 4-5. Discussion |
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12 |
The Genre of Romance. The Tempest: Acts 1-3 Paper #2 Due: April 14 |
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19 |
The Tempest: Acts 4 and 5 |
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General discussion on the plays. |
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26 |
The Shakespearean Sonnet: Assigned Readings |
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May 3 |
Conclude Sonnets |
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11-17 |
Finals Week. Research Paper Due by 5/13 |
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Papers
All out-of-class papers must be typed.
Attendance
Regular attendance is required. Only in extreme situations, a student may be excused for missing class (usually, just once a semester). However, he/she will be assigned extra work to make up for the day’s activity. Repeated absence from class will result in loss of grade.
Assignments
All assignments are due on the day they are to be handed in. No late papers will be accepted. Also, you must complete all assignments to pass the class.
Quizzes
Quizzes will cover all class materials from the readings, discussions, and handouts. They will be unannounced and given during class time. Sorry, no make-up quizzes!
Grades: The following grade range will be used to evaluate your work:
A+ (97-100) B+ (87-89) C+ (77-79) D+ (67-69)
A (93-96) B (83-87) C (73-76) D (63-66)
A- (90-92) B- (80-82) C- (70-72) D- (60-62)
Final course grade will be A, B, C, D, or F, only (no + or - letter grades).
Assignments*:
i) Two out-of-class Essays 40%
ii) Midterm 15%
iii) Attendance & Class Participation 10%
iv) Research Paper 25%
v) Quizzes 10
*Check for due dates under "Scheduled Reading."
Disruptive Behavior: PGCC Policy dictates that students do not engage in disruptive behavior. As such, any action that interferes with class activity and is considered inappropriate for a college classroom will not be tolerated.
Miscellaneous: ALL beepers, cell phones, pagers and similar devices must be turned off during class time. There is nothing more annoying (and disruptive!) than someone’s cell phone going off during class.
Consumption of food and drink in a classroom is not allowed!
Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. Plagiarized work will lead to loss of credit for the course.
HAVE A GREAT SEMESTER
