Medieval Drama: Read It and Be in It
ENGL 224
Fall 2015
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
MDST 242, THEA 224 |
This course will examine early English drama in its many forms, from the civic mystery cycles of the 15th century to the morality play Mankind to Tudor plays famously indebted to the conventions of medieval theater, such as Marlowe's Doctor Faustus (1592). We will cover topics including the role of drama in defining communal identities, dramatic interpretations of gender, and the responses of drama to contemporary social and religious controversies. Most readings will be in modernized and annotated Middle English, so we will pay close attention to language. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ENGL)(ENGL-Literature)(MDST-MN)(MDST)(MDST-Art/Arch)(MDST-History)(MDST-Lang/Lit)(MDST-Phil/Reli)(THEA) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Selections from the mystery play cycles of York and Chester, and
the Towneley Plays;
The East Anglian MARY PLAY;
THE DIGBY PLAY OF MARY MAGDLENE;
THE CROXTON PLAY OF THE SACRAMENT,
MANKIND
Chaucer, THE MILLER'S TALE;
A WYCLIFFITE TREATISE ON PLAYING MIRACLES; Marlowe, DR. FAUSTUS;
Shakespeare, PERICLES PRINCE OF TYRE
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Examinations and Assignments:
2 essays (5-6 pp.)
weekly response papers
participation in a theatrical performance |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course will examine early English drama in its many forms, from the civic mystery cycles that rolled through English city streets to the famous "morality play" Everyman. We will cover topics including the role of drama in defining communal identities, dramatic interpretations of gender and the responses of drama to contemporary (and possibly current) social and religious controversies.
Halfway through the course, students will break into performance groups and embark on a collective research and production project that will culminate in putting on a short medieval play.
This course fulfills the Literary History I requirement of the English major and contributes to the fulfillment of the British Literature and Theory and Literary Form concentrations. |
| Instructor(s): Nisse,Ruth Times: .M.W.F. 10:00AM-10:50AM; Location: WYL110; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 4 | JR major: 4 | | |
| Seats Available: 2 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 4 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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