actual URL = http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/a375.html

Assignments--Modern Drama (Spring 2005)

Goal: To produce sophisticated essays and documentation that point to original interpretation, linguistic clarity, and  academic maturity and integrity.

Requirements--Respect, Integrity, Collegiality, and:

Please observe the following:


You must make every effort to contribute to your assigned group work. Post to Blackboard and give a friend in the course your assignment if you cannot bring 1-page essay (Unit I) to class. Contact instructor immediately if you cannot complete your performance project (Unit II).

Cite and acknowledge the source of information not discussed in class (according to the MLA/parenthetical citation method); all web resources, especially, must be cited (see this link on how to cite web resources). Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism, which insults the integrity, respect, and honesty that make up academic rigor. Plagiarism, cheating, and pretending another’s words are your own are unethical practices subject to academic sanction and failure in this course. Please cite all consulted material, from websites, books, articles, to the backs of books, as critical engagement with and acknowledgment of others’ words is part of the larger academic conversation and ethic.

Late papers are still accepted until the final day of the course, though two points are deducted from the grade for each class day the paper is late (i.e., a paper turned in a week late is deducted four points, or about a half grade—from 91/A- to 87/B+). This levels the playing field for your classmates who submit work on assigned dates.

The academic literary essay embodies many qualities: analysis, close reading(s), thoughtfulness, and originality; a provocative and inquisitive nature accompanied by a clearly articulated argument and position; and a secure command of English literacy as practiced in a university context.

Please do not summarize any of the ‘plot’ (narrative, action, etc.) of the text. Rather, analyze the 'deeper meaning' of literature, drawing attention to and citing details that a reader might miss reading them the first time; you should reread key passages prior to writing. Each supporting paragraph should be centered on analysis of literary elements like themes, symbols, plot, and other recurring/repetitive details that expose hidden meanings; consult this Vocabulary page for more ideas. Additional tips for writing literary essays (including general evaluative criteria and information sources) follows at the end of this page.

Unit I: Pre-1900/Naturalist Drama -- Drama Analysis: 1 page/informal (1/31-3/3); formal/final written 2 to 4 pages (3/24)


An analysis dissects information and focuses on a single, original theme. The purpose of assigning two brief drama analyses during the first six weeks is to give students the opportunity to develop their writing voices. This gradual work process also places student writers in the position of producers and critics, rather than mere consumers, of knowledge. This first assignment is also introductory and assists students in building vocabulary needed for drama analysis. 


Depending on whether you are in Group A or B (see Blackboard for assignments), biweekly (and only twice this semester), you will post an informal 1-page/250-word analysis of that week’s drama to Blackboard/Discussion (as plain text, not attachment) and bring 2-3 hard copies to class. There is no assigned topic for these two one-page essays. You might analyze the elements of drama such as setting, acting, and structure or any interesting themes, such as gender issues. If you get stuck on issues to write about, you might consult (and then expand upon) the discussion questions posted on the online syllabus.


Peers will read and critique your work on your assigned day (1/31, 2/10, 2/21, or 3/3), and this dialogue will become the basis for class discussion. Students should make every human effort to share and develop their written work, which needs to make it to class regardless of a student’s physical locality (via Blackboard/Discussion and hopefully also via a friend). The instructor will not read or evaluate these non-graded responses during the first half of the course. Rather, you will receive extensive feedback from peers. The purpose of this feedback loop is to give students the support network needed to write excellent papers and to acquaint every class member with a sense of a reading audience (to which the paper should be directed). 

 

Then, you will revise one of these informal analyses into a formal essay, due after Spring Break. This final revision may be 2 to 4 pages. Earlier drafts (e.g., the original submissions for Group A or B) of this final paper should be posted on Blackboard/Discussion as plain text. Final papers will not be accepted without a clear “paper trail” that shows earlier draft work.

ENLT 375 / Nielsen    Essay 2: Performance Project on Theater of the Absurd

The purpose of the second essay assignment is to teach the difference between drama as text and drama as performance. On assigned days, students will present their preliminary research findings to the class and guide a 15-minute discussion (cumulatively) on performance aspects of the assigned play. Research may include information from theater reviews of actual performances and theater histories.


M 3/28    Performance Project #1     Pirandello (Brecht/Artaud), Six Characters in Search of an Author: Anthony, Kiranpreet, Raffaela, Erica, Kellie, Nancy, Peter, Jessica B.


R 4/7        Performance Project #2     O’Casey, Juno and the Paycock: Nicole L., Nadia, Haleemeh, Tiffany, Jessica Heese, John


M 4/18    Performance Project #3     Genet (Sartre), The Maids : Dennis, Liz, Valbona, Nicole G. Tatiana, Christina, Eric, Liaan


R 4/28    Performance Project #4     Beckett, Waiting for Godot: Sheryl, Jessie, William, Jennifer, Young, Katrice, Lauren D., Rebekah

The Performance Project helps to answer many questions about dramas that are not answered simply by reading the text. How did audiences react to European drama? Do these plays have lasting performance histories? In what ways do directors stage concepts and themes from the play (using lighting, staging, acting techniques, costume, etc.)?

-    Oral component graded on a Pass / Not Pass basis
-    Minus 25 points off of Performance Project Portfolio if you don’t do it
-    Adds points to your participation if you do it well
-    Group production suggested in order to ease the stress of oral presentation and in order to learn collaborative teamwork skills
-    A way to provide a paper trail for your Performance Project Portfolio/Final Essay (e.g. danger of plagiarism)
-    Share a performance perspective of drama with classmates
-    Present information about performance history of plays in New York, Dublin, London, and/or Rome
-    You can also do a ‘provocation’ of group discussion: write a one-page interpretation of the work (from the perspective of your research topic) and solicit students’ opinions and responses


This oral component not only teaches other students about the performance of a European drama but also lays the foundation for your Peroformance Project Portfolio (Final Essay), described in more detail below.

The following includes a list of activities you might consider when organizing your presentation:

- The research question that should guide you is, “How does this play work as a performance?”

- As with any good paper, your presentation should have a title that represents (and not just tells about) its major themes and points.

-    Write a bibliography for your research and short summaries of these items (a.k.a. annotated bibliography) with enough copies for everyone in class (#31). Of particular interest for students will be the performance history of the play in question, either here in New York or abroad in London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, and/or Rome.

-    Generate original and thought-provoking discussion questions, either to be discussed in groups or to stimulate class discussion. You might even email these to the class beforehand, to insure that your audience is prepared to dialogue with you (go to ‘Email Options’ and then ‘Send Email’ on Blackboard: select ‘All Users’). This is a good option for groups that do not have the resources to work collaboratively, since each student could be made responsible for a specific question. Each student’s question might evolve, in turn, into a paper topic.

-    Present and/or guide a close reading of a specific passage, looking for sub-textual evidence about major themes (family values, modern identity, gender issues, etc.)

-    Create visual representations of your research and spend some time discussion their meaning: PowerPoint slides; historical timeline; diorama; or poster

-    Choose a creative option, such as a dramatic reenactment from/about the drama or creative response (e.g., poem, short story, fictional letter, theater review)

-    Sometimes students devise games for presentations. This is an okay option, but please remember that in the work environment, speakers need to stimulate their audience without using sugar (e.g., candy-throwing is discouraged).



Performance Project Portfolio due 5/2 at 2:30 p.m.:

These presentations will inform your Final Essay (4 to 5 pages), due on Monday 5/2/05. The form of this final project portfolio may vary in genre (creative, analytical, traditional literary analysis) but will be evaluated according to general evaluative criteria, including originality, argument, logical progression, sophistication, and excellence in the English language. 

It may include any materials you made for your presentation, creative responses to a play, and/or traditional literary analysis. If you include more than one form/genre of writing (e.g., not traditional literary analysis, or a paper whose internal logic is expressed through an introductory paragraph, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion), you must include a cover letter that introduces your work and explains what you have learned through it—about the “theater of the absurd,” any particular author/play from Unit II, etc.. In other words, (A) you are invited to write a traditional English paper on one or more plays from Unit II focusing on a performance-related aspect of the play (e.g., analysis of the drama as performance, and not just text); or (B) you may also collate a several types of responses to a performance-related aspect of twentieth-century drama such as a theater review, supplemental/"missing" scenes, obituaries (for a specific audience), and annotated bibliography. This latter (B) option requires a cover letter that summarizes the portfolio's argument/controlling idea, inner logic, and supporting evidence. All project portfolios must be accompanied by a WORKS CITED in MLA format.

In terms of translating creative work into written form, if you stage a scene from a work, you might write about the collaborative process involved. What interpretive decisions were you forced to make? How do you envision a particular character? A poster or another type of creative object might count for 1.5 pages, depending on how in-depth and detailed it is. 


 You are encouraged to develop your own focused topics. The following questions might help you to begin this specification process:

- How does the reception of [any play from Unit II] differ in its 'home' city than productions abroad? In other words, is Six Characters an Italian play or Juno and the Paycock an Irish one? What changes do New York productions make to any one of these plays, and what do these adaptations say about the universality of theatrical language?


- Cross-dressing and role doubling are theatrical conventions sometimes (unlawfully) practiced by Godot productions, and considered for The Maids. What effects does this gender bending have on the plot, themes, and characters of one of these plays? How does one of these author’s (and more importantly, their directors’) use of cross-dressing and role doubling effectively illuminate the theme of oppression (economic and/or sexual)?

Theater Review

Theater reviews appear in newspapers and magazines and serve the purpose of informing potential audiences about the merits of a particular performance. For scholars, reviews are important evidence about the ways in which performances affect audiences. You may choose to write your review with a specific audience in mind, such as readers of The Montclairion, or better yet, the format of the New York Times (go to: "Theater"). 


 It is important that you model your theater review on professional ones. Generally, theater reviews begin with the exact details of the performance (name, place, and date of the performance). Some begin with information about the playwright and a short synopsis of the play. Reviews include critiques of the production, including cast, setting, and their combined effect on the audience. Reviews also critique performances and often conclude by either recommending or dissuading readers from attending a play.


Additional Tips and Evaluative Criteria

Please note:
- You should have an original title for your essay

- These are prompts, designed to prompt you into thinking about your own writing. You should revise and specify the exact kinds of questions your essay will be addressing.

- Please avoid plot summary. Focus, instead, on specific motifs (symbols, repetitions, allegories) and narrative techniques (position of narrator, genre conventions) and clearly articulate their interpretation/meaning.

- If you are struggling to find the significance for a thesis (a.k.a. the ‘so what?’ of any good controlling idea), consider the purpose of literature; what purpose does it serve, how does it critique society, and how might it teach life lessons?

- Cite information according to MLA parenthetical citation method (author #) and include a Works Cited. Cite web resources.

- Struggling for vocabulary? Take a look at this page about Vocabulary for Literature and Writing.


TIPS:
Dr. Wendy Nielsen     Correction Key for Essays    

agr        lack of agreement (1) verbs (2) pronouns     
apos        Apostrophe needed or misused
awk        awkward phraseology           
ف        deletion suggested                        
C        Content (thesis, argument, supporting paragraphs, conclusion); comments on right
cliché        overused or colloquial phrase           
cit        incomplete or awkward citation       
ev        evidence missing or questionable
ex        example or support needed
F        Form (grammar, diction, writing style); comments on left side
frag        incomplete idea; sentence fragment       
^        omission / missing word
// ism        lack of parallel structure (between nouns and pronouns generally)   
mod        unclear or dangling modifier
mw      missing word                           
p        punctuation                   
pass         use of passive voice obstructs clarity           
ref        problem with pronoun reference       
rep        unnecessary repetition               
R-O        run-on sentence, comma splice, etc.       
sp        spelling error                   
specify        specify your meaning
T        wrong tense or mixing of tenses       
trans        transition needed or unclear connection   
vag        vague point; development of ideas lacking
wd ch        ineffective word choice           
wdy        wordy; cut down               
wo        rearrange word order for clarity or emphasis   
~        reverse word order               
ww        wrong word (i.e., affect/effect)
X        obvious mechanical error (its/it’s)
?        unclear or inaccurate               
√    good point worth developing further; please elaborate and expand
√+        very good analysis
CONTENT TOTAL ( /50):
   
ORIGINALITY:   
   
ARGUMENTATVE THESIS / CONTROLLING IDEA:   
   
INTRODUCTION PREPARES READER FOR FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS:   
   
LOGICAL STRUCTURE / LOGICAL PROGRESSION OF IDEAS:   
   
VALID SUPPORT FOR THESIS CLEARLY RELATES TO THESIS:    
   
EACH SUPPORTING PARAGRAPH IS UNITED AROUND A MAIN IDEA:   
   
CLARITY AND SOPHISTICATION OF THOUGHT / COHERENCE:   
   
CONCLUSION:
FORM TOTAL ( /50):
   
PRECISION OF WORDS:   
   
APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY:   
   
SENTENCE STYLE (CLEARLY STRUCTURED AND FOCUSED):   
   
MECHANICAL ERRORS:    



M 1/31     A Doll House

I. Peer Review / Critique [written and/or oral commentary]

ARGUMENT / THESIS / CONTROLLING IDEA: What main point is the author trying to make? Can you reformulate it in your own words? What is a reasonable counterargument to the essay’s position?

DEVELOPMENT / SUPPORT / LOGICAL STRUCTURE: What further support might be needed to underline this main idea?

SOPHISTICATION: What larger questions about modern drama does the essay raise?

II. Creative writing activity: write new dialogue and directions for the play


2.1    p. 61 > What do children say?

2.2    Nora returns to Torvald and her children exactly one year later.


2.3    Kristine Linde and Krogstad at home together, 8 months from the end of A Doll House


2.4    Monologue: Torvald talks at Rank’s funeral



10 Feb. / Hedda Gabler: Creative Writing Project


Write a Wikipedia Hyperlink Entry


Incorporate your work-in-progress into a creative exercise. Pick a term or word from the Wikipedia article on Ibsen and write your own hyperlink entry for it. For example, in the first two paragraphs, you might write a paragraph that explores one of the underlined terms in light of A Doll House or Hedda Gabler, (the entry for which one might augment as well) such as:


“His plays were considered scandalous in much of society at the time, when Victorian values of family life and propriety were still very much the norm and any challenge to them considered immoral and outrageous. Ibsen's work examined the realities that lay behind many facades, which the society of the time did not want to see.


In a very real way, Ibsen created the modern stage, by introducing a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality. Prior to him, plays were expected to be moral dramas with noble protagonists pitted against darker forces. Every drama was expected to result in a "proper" conclusion, meaning that goodness was to bring happiness, and immorality only pain. Ibsen was to turn that concept on its head, challenging the beliefs of the times and shattering the illusions of his audiences” ("Ibsen" 2005).


“Henrik Ibsen.” Wikipedia: Henrik Ibsen Jan 2005 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibsen> Accessed 10 Feb. 2005

Feel to make up your own hyperlink entries, perhaps by crossreferencing with etymology in the Oxford English Dictionary (terms such as : tragedy, drama, etc.). Publish your finished project on the Discussion Board.

Alternative Option: Rewrite a Scene according to an interpretive position


1)    Write a paragraph from George Tesman’s dissertation on medieval life.

2)    Write a paragraph from either of Eilert Lövborg’s books.

3)    The missing scene: Eilert Lövborg returns to Madame Diana and demands his manuscript back.

4)    Write an obituary (or two) for either or both of the deceased characters.


5)    The scene after the shooting: Aunt Julia comforts George Tessman; the maid Berta makes an appearance