Connections: English 121: Old Syllabi

Monday, January 22

First day: Introductions and course outline

Unit One

Shakespeare's Language:
The Sonnets

Wednesday, January 24

Film: segment one of John Barton's Playing Shakespeare
Read Connections on The Sonnet
Read Connections on Scansion
- Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet, an excellent all-purpose site maintained by Terry A. Gray, who recommends these other sites on Shakespeare.
- ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) from the Penn Libraries

Come to class prepared to apply the film and readings to a discussion of one of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Also, please go to the class discussion board and write a solid paragraph or two introducing yourself to the class. Aside from the obvious introductory function of this assignment, it also ensures that we flush out any technical problems before moving farther into the term.

Friday, January 26

Read Shakespeare's sonnets 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 16, 17, and 18.
Close reading handout
- Sir John Gielgud reads the sonnets

Using the close reading handout as a guide, write a paragraph about something unusual and interesting you find in one of the sonnets. We will discuss some of your paragraphs in class, and I will collect them all.

Monday, January 29

Read Marjorie Garber's introduction to Shakespeare After All.
Shakespeare's "Young Man" sonnets (selections): 20, 30, 37, 62, 76, 84, 93, 115, 116, and 123
And the "Dark Lady" sonnets (selections): 42, 127, 130, 133, 138, 144, 147, 148, and 152

Group 1: Write a response connecting some small issue you find in a close reading of one of these sonnets to one of the broader concerns that Garber raises about interpreting Shakespeare's works. The key to this assignment lies in conveying that connection between a few small details and the big issues or questions of Shakespeare criticism.

Unit Two

Shakespeare Tragic and Comic:
Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing

Wednesday, January 31

Romeo and Juliet, Act I
- Shakespeare's Works in online texts from MIT
- ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on poetry in Romeo and Juliet

Group 2: Stage-setting response

Friday, February 2

Romeo and Juliet, Acts II and III

Group 3: Middle acts response

Monday, February 5

Romeo and Juliet, Acts IV and V

Group 4: Final acts response

Wednesday, February 7

Film: Baz Luhrmann, Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- The film's IMDB page
- And its MRQE page

Note: here and throughout this syllabus, the first (less indented) reading or link is required, while the second (more indented) reading or link is supplemental and optional. Here, for example, viewing the film is required, whereas exploring the websites is optional.

Group 5: film response

Friday, February 9

Much Ado about Nothing, Act I
Russ McDonald, "Theater Ã la Mode: Shakespeare and the Kinds of Drama"

Group 1: Stage-setting response

Monday, February 12

Much Ado about Nothing, Acts II and III

Group 2: Middle acts response

Wednesday, February 14

Much Ado about Nothing, Acts IV and V

Group 3: Final acts response

Friday, February 16

Film: Kenneth Branagh, Much Ado about Nothing (1993)
- The film's IMDB page
- And its MRQE page

Group 4: Film response

Unit Three

Extreme Shakespeare:
Titus Andronicus

Monday, February 19

Titus Andronicus, Act I

Group 5: Stage-setting response

Wednesday, February 21

Titus Andronicus, Acts II and III

Group 1: Middle acts response

Friday, February 23

Titus Andronicus, Acts IV and V

Group 2: Final acts response

Monday, February 26

Film: Julie Taymor, Titus (1999)
- The film's IMDB page
- And its MRQE page

Group 3: Film response

Wednesday, February 28

MIDTERM EXAM IN CLASS

Unit Four

Critical Perspectives on Shakespeare:
The Example of Hamlet

Friday, March 2

Hamlet, Act I
- Hamlet Works is one of the web's truly remarkable literary sites. You'll need to take a few minutes to figure out the interface, but the site will repay your efforts.

Group 4: Scene-setting response

Monday, March 5

[class canceled]

Wednesday, March 7

Hamlet, Acts II and III

Group 5: Middle acts response

Friday, March 9

Hamlet, Acts IV and V

Group 1: Last acts response

Monday, March 12

Readings on feminist criticism and Hamlet

Group 2: The response assignment will be the same for all three critical approaches. For the approach we read about each day, discuss a point in the article that you consider especially instructive or, on the contrary, to be a misreading of Hamlet. You can talk about more general applications of the day's theory if you like, but every response should start by discussing a specific moment in the day's article.

Wednesday, March 14

Readings on New Historical criticism and Hamlet

Group 3: See the assignment for March 12th.

Unit Five

Shakespeare in Context:
The Merchant of Venice and Othello

Friday, March 16

The Merchant of Venice, Act I
- Contextual readings by Thomas Coryate, John Leo, and Francis Bacon
- ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on The Merchant of Venice

Group 4: Stage-setting response

SPRING BREAK

Monday, April 2

The Merchant of Venice, Acts II and III
Contextual readings from the Examination of Roderigo Lopez and by William Camden

Group 5: Middle acts response

Wednesday, April 4

The Merchant of Venice, Acts IV and V
Contextual readings by Alexander Niccholes and Sir Thomas Elyot

Group 1: Last acts response

Friday, April 6

Film: Michael Radford, The Merchant of Venice (2004)
- The film's IMDB page
- And its MRQE page

Group 2: Film response

Monday, April 9

Othello, Act I

Group 3: Stage-setting response

Wednesday, April 11

Othello, Acts II and III

Group 4: Middle acts response

Friday, April 13

Othello, Acts IV and V

Group 5: Last acts response

Unit Six

Shakespeare on Stage:
Macbeth

Monday, April 16

Macbeth, Act I
Sourcebooks edition introductory materials, pages 1-20, and CD tracks 1-18 (all material from Act I)

Group 1: Stage-setting response with special attention to the interpretive decisions made by at least one of the actors on the CD

Wednesday, April 18

PAPER PROSPECTUS DUE IN CLASS

Macbeth, Acts II and III
CD tracks 19-29 (all material from Acts II and III)

Group 2: Middle acts response

Friday, April 20

Macbeth, Acts IV and V
CD tracks 30-40 (all material from Acts IV and V)

Group 3: Last acts response

Unit Seven

Tragicomic Shakespeare:
Measure for Measure

Monday, April 23

Measure for Measure, Act I
Machiavelli, from The Prince

Group 4: Stage-setting response

Tuesday, April 24

PAPER DUE
UNDER MY OFFICE DOOR BY 4:00

Wednesday, April 25

Measure for Measure, Acts II and III
Contextual readings from "T.E." and Henry Swinburne

Group 5: Middle acts response

Friday, April 27

Measure for Measure, Acts IV and V

Group 1: Last acts response

Unit Eight

The Shakespearean Text:
King Lear

Monday, April 30

King Lear, Act I
ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on history and truth in King Lear

Group 2: Stage-setting response

Wednesday, May 2

King Lear, Acts II and III

Group 3: Middle acts response

Friday, May 4

King Lear, Acts IV and V

Group 4: Last acts response

Unit Nine

Shakespeare's Legacies:
The Tempest

Monday, May 7

The Tempest, Act I

Group 5: Stage-setting response

Wednesday, May 9

The Tempest, Acts II and III

Group 1: Middle acts response

Friday, May 11

The Tempest, Acts IV and V

No responses: we will leave time for end-of-course carnival events and contests of skill.

Wednesday, May 16

FINAL EXAM AT 9:00 A.M.

Textbook Poetry Fiction Film Theory Contexts Research and Writing Research Writing Courses Tutorial 120 121 MORNING Syllabus AFTERNOON Syllabus Discussion Board Assignments Policies Old Syllabi Spring 07 Fall 07 Fall 10 224 226 Seminars Site Information Site Updates Navigation Site Map	English 121, Intro to Shakespeare Spring 2007 Monday, January 22 First day: Introductions and course outline Unit One Shakespeare's Language: The Sonnets Wednesday, January 24 Film: segment one of John Barton's Playing Shakespeare Read Connections on The Sonnet Read Connections on Scansion Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet, an excellent all-purpose site maintained by Terry A. Gray, who recommends these other sites on Shakespeare. ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) from the Penn Libraries Come to class prepared to apply the film and readings to a discussion of one of Shakespeare's sonnets. Also, please go to the class discussion board and write a solid paragraph or two introducing yourself to the class. Aside from the obvious introductory function of this assignment, it also ensures that we flush out any technical problems before moving farther into the term. Friday, January 26 Read Shakespeare's sonnets 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Close reading handout Sir John Gielgud reads the sonnets Using the close reading handout as a guide, write a paragraph about something unusual and interesting you find in one of the sonnets. We will discuss some of your paragraphs in class, and I will collect them all. Monday, January 29 Read Marjorie Garber's introduction to Shakespeare After All. Shakespeare's "Young Man" sonnets (selections): 20, 30, 37, 62, 76, 84, 93, 115, 116, and 123 And the "Dark Lady" sonnets (selections): 42, 127, 130, 133, 138, 144, 147, 148, and 152 Group 1: Write a response connecting some small issue you find in a close reading of one of these sonnets to one of the broader concerns that Garber raises about interpreting Shakespeare's works. The key to this assignment lies in conveying that connection between a few small details and the big issues or questions of Shakespeare criticism. Unit Two Shakespeare Tragic and Comic: Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado about Nothing Wednesday, January 31 Romeo and Juliet, Act I Shakespeare's Works in online texts from MIT ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on poetry in Romeo and Juliet Group 2: Stage-setting response Friday, February 2 Romeo and Juliet, Acts II and III Group 3: Middle acts response Monday, February 5 Romeo and Juliet, Acts IV and V Group 4: Final acts response Wednesday, February 7 Film: Baz Luhrmann, Romeo + Juliet (1996) The film's IMDB page And its MRQE page Note: here and throughout this syllabus, the first (less indented) reading or link is required, while the second (more indented) reading or link is supplemental and optional. Here, for example, viewing the film is required, whereas exploring the websites is optional. Group 5: film response Friday, February 9 Much Ado about Nothing, Act I Russ McDonald, "Theater Ã la Mode: Shakespeare and the Kinds of Drama" Group 1: Stage-setting response Monday, February 12 Much Ado about Nothing, Acts II and III Group 2: Middle acts response Wednesday, February 14 Much Ado about Nothing, Acts IV and V Group 3: Final acts response Friday, February 16 Film: Kenneth Branagh, Much Ado about Nothing (1993) The film's IMDB page And its MRQE page Group 4: Film response Unit Three Extreme Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus Monday, February 19 Titus Andronicus, Act I Group 5: Stage-setting response Wednesday, February 21 Titus Andronicus, Acts II and III Group 1: Middle acts response Friday, February 23 Titus Andronicus, Acts IV and V Group 2: Final acts response Monday, February 26 Film: Julie Taymor, Titus (1999) The film's IMDB page And its MRQE page Group 3: Film response Wednesday, February 28 MIDTERM EXAM IN CLASS Unit Four Critical Perspectives on Shakespeare: The Example of Hamlet Friday, March 2 Hamlet, Act I Hamlet Works is one of the web's truly remarkable literary sites. You'll need to take a few minutes to figure out the interface, but the site will repay your efforts. Group 4: Scene-setting response Monday, March 5 [class canceled] Wednesday, March 7 Hamlet, Acts II and III Group 5: Middle acts response Friday, March 9 Hamlet, Acts IV and V Group 1: Last acts response Monday, March 12 Readings on feminist criticism and Hamlet Group 2: The response assignment will be the same for all three critical approaches. For the approach we read about each day, discuss a point in the article that you consider especially instructive or, on the contrary, to be a misreading of Hamlet. You can talk about more general applications of the day's theory if you like, but every response should start by discussing a specific moment in the day's article. Wednesday, March 14 Readings on New Historical criticism and Hamlet Group 3: See the assignment for March 12th. Unit Five Shakespeare in Context: The Merchant of Venice and Othello Friday, March 16 The Merchant of Venice, Act I Contextual readings by Thomas Coryate, John Leo, and Francis Bacon ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on The Merchant of Venice Group 4: Stage-setting response SPRING BREAK Monday, April 2 The Merchant of Venice, Acts II and III Contextual readings from the Examination of Roderigo Lopez and by William Camden Group 5: Middle acts response Wednesday, April 4 The Merchant of Venice, Acts IV and V Contextual readings by Alexander Niccholes and Sir Thomas Elyot Group 1: Last acts response Friday, April 6 Film: Michael Radford, The Merchant of Venice (2004) The film's IMDB page And its MRQE page Group 2: Film response Monday, April 9 Othello, Act I Group 3: Stage-setting response Wednesday, April 11 Othello, Acts II and III Group 4: Middle acts response Friday, April 13 Othello, Acts IV and V Group 5: Last acts response Unit Six Shakespeare on Stage: Macbeth Monday, April 16 Macbeth, Act I Sourcebooks edition introductory materials, pages 1-20, and CD tracks 1-18 (all material from Act I) Group 1: Stage-setting response with special attention to the interpretive decisions made by at least one of the actors on the CD Wednesday, April 18 PAPER PROSPECTUS DUE IN CLASS Macbeth, Acts II and III CD tracks 19-29 (all material from Acts II and III) Group 2: Middle acts response Friday, April 20 Macbeth, Acts IV and V CD tracks 30-40 (all material from Acts IV and V) Group 3: Last acts response Unit Seven Tragicomic Shakespeare: Measure for Measure Monday, April 23 Measure for Measure, Act I Machiavelli, from The Prince Group 4: Stage-setting response Tuesday, April 24 PAPER DUE UNDER MY OFFICE DOOR BY 4:00 Wednesday, April 25 Measure for Measure, Acts II and III Contextual readings from "T.E." and Henry Swinburne Group 5: Middle acts response Friday, April 27 Measure for Measure, Acts IV and V Group 1: Last acts response Unit Eight The Shakespearean Text: King Lear Monday, April 30 King Lear, Act I ERIC (English Renaissance in Context) has a tutorial on history and truth in King Lear Group 2: Stage-setting response Wednesday, May 2 King Lear, Acts II and III Group 3: Middle acts response Friday, May 4 King Lear, Acts IV and V Group 4: Last acts response Unit Nine Shakespeare's Legacies: The Tempest Monday, May 7 The Tempest, Act I Group 5: Stage-setting response Wednesday, May 9 The Tempest, Acts II and III Group 1: Middle acts response Friday, May 11 The Tempest, Acts IV and V No responses: we will leave time for end-of-course carnival events and contests of skill. Wednesday, May 16 FINAL EXAM AT 9:00 A.M.
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Erik Simpson \| simpsone@grinnell.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.