Modern European Drama (Spring 2007)

Munch, Dance of Life
Edvard Munch, The Dance of Life (1899-1900), Oil on Canvas, Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo, Norway

Modern Drama: Ibsen to O'Neill (Spring 2007: 11413)
MR 01:00-02:15PM in UN 2044
http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/moddrama07.html
<http://english.montclair.edu>

Prof. Wendy Nielsen
Dickson Hall 324
Office Hours: M 11:30-1, R 4-5:30, & by appt.
Email: nielsenw@mail . . . 

Texts available at University Bookstore:
Additional Texts Available online:
Course description:

What is the tragedy of the modern family? How are family members expected to “perform”? And can the theater even begin to portray the comedy and tragedy (or tragicomedy) that is modern life? So-called Anti-Aristotelian dramas, or the plays written and produced between ca. 1870 and 1950, address these and many other questions. This course covers Naturalist Drama to Theater of the Absurd. We will read and consider the performance histories of Scandinavian, Irish, French, and Italian theater: Ibsen, Strindberg, Ernst Rosmer (Elsa Bernstein), Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest), Pirandello, Beckett, and Genet. Students will leave with a profound appreciation for the development of modern Europe and its playhouses. Satisfies 1b (pre-1900); Drama; multinational; gender studies

Requirements:
Policies:
Tentative schedule subject to change; please check your Montclair email and <http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/moddrama07.html> for updates
Date
Class Activities
Homework Due

Unit I: Modern Drama before 1900

1. R 1/18
Course and Student Introduction; Elements of Drama; Anti-Aristotelian Drama Monday's homework in cell below
2. M 1/22
Review; A Doll's House; Student Questions
Read Ibsen, A Doll's House (39-114); DISC. 1: Write 3 discussion questions (either ones you would pose as an instructor of the class, things you are confused about in the reading, or a mix between the two) and bring them to class (will be collected). The purpose of discussion questions is to open a dialogue between you and me; to make this a student-centered classroom; and to help students become better writers by becoming critical thinkers, or people who question what they read. Discussion questions are evaluated on a check (average, show you did the reading), check plus (insightful, original, possibly brilliant, probably shared during class), or check minus (you didn't do the reading or simply copied questions discussed in class) basis. Discussion questions are not mandatory but are taken into consideration for your Participation Grade. See also note in Policies above.
3. R 1/25
Review; Performances of A Doll's House; Feminist and Socio-economic Approaches to the Play Read Theater Reviews about A Doll's House (Bb/Readings/Theater Reviews) and bring copies (or copious notes) to class. Journal 1: Write 1 page (ca. 250 words) about any aspect of A Doll's House. You might answer one of your own or another student's interpretive questions for the previous class, closely analyze a specific scene, or reflect on how this play could be produced, cast, and/or directed. Although each individual journal is not graded, I expect you to complete a majority of these journal entries, which will be graded when they are presented in a revised Journal Portfolio. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.
4. M 1/29
Review; Hedda Gabler
Read Ibsen, Hedda Gabler (217-304); DISC. 2: Bring 3 discussion questions to class.
5. R 2/1
Review; Hedda Gabler: Performances
Read Theater Review; write Journal 2: Write a page on any aspect of Hedda Gabler. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.
6. M 2/5
Review;The Father
DISC. 3: Bring 3 discussion questions to class.
7. R 2/8
Review; Strindberg and Helium; Citing Sources; Performances of The Father
Read Theater Review; write Journal 3: Write a page on any aspect of The Father. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.
8. M 2/12
Ernst Rosmer (Elsa Bernstein), Twilight
DISC. 4: Bring 3 discussion questions to class.
9. R 2/15
Review; End of Twilight: Group Ques. and Stud. Journals
Read end of Twilight; write Journal 4: Write a page on any aspect of Twilight. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.  
10. M 2/19
Midterm Review posted;The Importance of Being Earnest
Read Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest. No discussion questions due.
11. R 2/22 Performances of The Importance of Being Earnest
Read Theater Review. No journal due.
12. M 2/26
Midterm Review and Practice Run
Read and write responses to 3 Journals on Blackboard/Discussion and take notes on interesting perspectives on the plays we have read. Bring copies of the books we have read thus far to class. Prepare answers to Study Questions (Bb)
13. R 3/1
Midterm Exam (No make-up dates!)
Open-book exam: bring your own copy of the books we have read thus far to class.

Unit II: Modern Drama after 1900

14. M 3/5
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) No homework
15. R 3/8
Expressionism and Film; Timeline; Modernism; Dada, Surrealism, etc.; Brecht (epic theater) and Artaud (theater of cruelty) Read Brecht and Artaud (Blackboard / Online) and bring a copy or laptop to class
16. M 3/19 Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author
DISC. 5: Bring 3 discussion questions to class
17. R 3/22
 Performances of Pirandello
Journal 5: Write a page on any aspect of Six Characters. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.
18. M 3/26
Review; The Maids
Read all of The Maids
19. R 3/29
Performances of The Maids
DISC. 6: Bring 3 discussion questions to class.
20. M 4/2
Existentialism
Read Sartre, Introduction to The Maids; Journal 6: Write a page on any aspect of The Maids. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well. NEW: Try to logon to our Performiki Site
21. R 4/5
Waiting for Godot Read Act I
22. M 4/9
Review; Waiting for Godot Read Act II + DISC. 7: Bring 3 discussion questions to class.
23. R 4/12
Your Writing
No journal due, but you will want to start revising 4 of your previous entries for inclusion in the Journal Portfolio.
24. M 4/16
Library Tutorial: Meet in Sprague 203
Journal Portfolio due; Publish best/favorite journal entry on our Performiki Site.
25. R 4/19
Class attends Hirsch and Spitzer lecture (UN 1030) for Holocaust Remembrance Day
Write a response on Blackboard/Discussion about our Performiki Site (post topic, answer topic, compliment journal entries you liked, discuss favorite/interesting aspects of plays read, brainstorm about ideas for Performance Paper etc.)
26. M 4/23
Review; Peer Review of Drafts; Clips of Modern Times
Draft work due: Bring 2 copies of draft to class and post your work-in-progress to Blackboard/Discussion in plain text (no attachments please)
27. R 4/26
Performance Paper due (discussion of findings and possible in-class performances) Performance Paper due: Post abstracts of your paper and highlights to Performiki Site; read a few entries before coming to class.
28. M 4/30
Review for Final Exam; Announcements (Bb)
Participation Portfolio due (optional: staple and submit old and/or missing discussion questions). Monday 4/30 is the last day to submit late assignments.
M 5/7
Take-home Final Exam due 3:15-5:15 pm Options for early delivery (encouraged!): Mailbox (439 Dickson) or under door of office (324 Dickson--safer). Grades will be posted on Blackboard/Tools. Pick up your exams next semester before Halloween (see English home page for office hours), or provide a self-addressed stamped envelope (with at least 3 stamps!).