Shakespeare

1. ELIT 17 FALL 2015 T/Th3:30-5:20
Week 1
Sept. 20-26
Class Work Homework
Class 1  Introduction to Class
 The Website
 The Green Sheet
 The Syllabus
 Lecture:
 Shakespeare’s
works
 Introduction to
Shakespearean
Comedy
 Introduction to The
ComedyofErrors
 Buy books
 Establish Gmail account
 Register for Wordpress
 Read the Folger introduction fromxiii to liii
Read TheComedyofErrors Acts 1, 2, and 3
Post #1 Choose one
1. Find examples of the different kinds of comedy
we discussed in class today. Explain why the
scenes or elements are or aren’t funny.
2. Wooing scenes are prominent in
Shakespearian plays. Find the wooing scene
between Antipholus of Syracuse and Luciana.
Explicate the meaning and explain how
successful it is.
3. Compare and contrast one set of the twins. Are
they more alike or different?
4. Discuss Pinchand his role in the story.
5. QHQ
Use textual support foryour answers
Class 2
 Teams 1
• Lecture:
• Shakespeare’s
England
• Discussion
• TheComedyof
Errors
• Discussion
Questions
• QHQs
Read: TheComedyofErrors Acts 4 and 5
Post #2 Choose one
1. Shakespeare’ s choiceto make
misidentification unintentional complicates
the issue of both identity and trickery.
Misidentification causes a rapid switching
between social positions. For instance,
Adriana is both an alluring temptress who
tries to tricka traveler and a loyal wifewho
mistakenly invites an impostor into her house.
Find a scene of intentional or unintentional
deception. Who is the trickster? What are the
results of the miscommunication or
misidentification?
2. Discuss the theme of Identity as it is presented
in the play. Is there a difference between
public/social identities and private identities?
3. Are the Dromios servants or slaves? Are their
beatings meant to be farcical?Are farceand
social custom connected? Can youthink of a
contemporary example?
4. QHQ
Use textual support foryour answers

2. Week 2
Sept. 27-
Oct.3
Class 3  Lecture
 Reading Shakespeare’s
Language
 TheComedyof Errors
 Discussion Questions
 QHQs
 Introduction
 TwelfthNight
Read: TwelfthNight:Acts 1 and 2
Post #3: Choose one
1. Compare and contrast the misidentification in
TwelfthNight withthat from AComedyof
Errors.
2. Consider common practices of traditional
wooing. In what way wouldthey be different
from Cesario’s endeavors to wooOlivia for
Duke? Act I,Scene 5, 166-280
3. How does the clownprovethat Oliviais a fool?
Is he corrector incorrect in his assessment?
(Act1 Scene 5) Explain youranswer with
evidence from the text.
4. Analyze Maria’s speeches in Act 2 scene 3.
Explain carefully her motive to entrap
Malvolio.Do you believe that she is justified in
doing it?
5. QHQ
Use textual support foryour answers
Class 4 Lecture
 Shakespeare: the man
 TwelfthNight
Discussion
 Discussion Questions
 QHQs
Read: TwelfthNight: Acts 3 to 5 (to end)
Post #4 Choose one
1. As Oliviais in the process of revealing her
feelings forCesario, she makes use of
metaphors drawn from the animal kingdom—
Act III,Scene 1, lines 120–122 and lines 130–
131. State what these animal metaphors are,
and then explain their significance. How do
they illuminate the depth of Olivia’s feelings at
the moment?
2. Compare and contrast Malvolioand Viola as
servants. How do their loves differ? Consider
Malvolio’s admission of his lovein (3:4:17-61)
and Viola’s in (2:4:17-47).
3. Many characters in TwelfthNightadopt a role
or otherwise disguise their identities. Viola is
the most obvious example of this ruse in the
play, but why others can you name? Consider
Fester, Orsino, and Oliviaamong others.
Use textual support foryour answers

3. Week 3
Oct.4-10
Class 5 TwelfthNight:Film Screening Post #5
1. Compare a scene in the movie She’s the Manto
the corresponding scene in Shakespeare’s
TwelfthNight. In some cases, there will not be
a direct correlation.In that case, you may refer
to themes as long as youuse textual evidence.
How does the directorboth stay true to
Shakespeare and make the film more
relevant? Whichis more successful? Why?
2. What do you make of the factthat Cesario and
Sebastian are apparently interchangeable for
Olivia? What does this play seem to say about
love and about marriage as a social
institution?
3. QHQ
Use textual support foryour answers
Class 6 Lecture:
Elizabethan Theater
The Globe
Discussion: Twelfth Night
Exam #1 Preparation: The
Comedies
Study for exam #1
Read
 Sir Thomas More’s Historyof KingRichard III
1518
 Horace Walpole’s Historic Doubts onthe Life
andReign of KingRichard III,1768
Read
 a short bio of Richard IIIhere
http://www.r3.org/richard-iii/king-richard-
iii-bio-timeline/
Post #6: choose 1
1. Shakespeare based his Richard IIIon the
writings of Sir Thomas More. After reading
both Thomas More and HoraceWalpole, who
do you find more credible? Why?
2. How might More (and Shakespeare) have
answered Walpole’s questions?
Use textual support foryour answers
Week 4
Oct.11-17
Class 7 Introduction to Sonnet (20
minutes) and recitation project
Exam 1 Comedies
Read RichardIII:Acts 1 and 2
Post #7: TBD

4. Class 8 Teams 2
Lecture: History Plays;
Stage action
Discussion: Richard III
Read RichardIII: Acts 3, 4, and 5
Post #8 TBD
Week 5
Oct.18-24
Class 9 Lecture: RichardIII
Discussion: Richard III Post #9 TBD
Class 10 Discussion: Final thoughts on
RichardIII
Introduction to Essay #1
Choose youressay topic: TwelfthNight, A Comedy
of Errors,or RichardIII
Post #10: Post yourquestion and a one paragraph
response to it.
Read Othello Acts 1, 2, and 3
Post #11 TBD
Week 6
Oct.25-31
Class 11 Lecture: Essay #1
In-class writing workshop
Lecture: The Tragedy; Othello
Discussion: Othello
Read Othello Acts 4-5
Post #12 TBD
Class 12 Discussion Othello Read TBD
Post #13 TBD
Week 7
Nov.1-7
Class 13 Othello:Film Screening Post #14
Compare a scene in the movie O to the
corresponding scene in Shakespeare’s Othello. In
some cases, there will not be a direct correlation.
In that case, youmay refer to themes as long as
you use textual evidence. How does the director
both stay true to Shakespeare and make the film
more relevant? Whichis more successful? Why?
Class 14 Othello
Discussion: Film vs. Play
Essay #1 Due
Exam #2 Preparation: History
and Tragedy
Study for Exam #2

5. Week 8
Nov.8-14
Class 15 Exam #2: History and Tragedy Read: TheTempest Acts1 and 2
Post #15 TBD
Class 16 Teams #3
Lecture: The Late Romances;
TheTempest
Discussion: The Tempest
Read: TheTempestActs3, 4, and 5
Post #16 TBD
Week 9
Nov.15-21
Class 17 Discussion: The Tempest Read: TBD
Post #17 TBD
Class 18 Discussion: Finish TheTempest
Introduction to Essay #2
Introduction to the Sonnets
Revision of essay #1 Due
Choose youressay topic: Othello or TheTempest
Post #18 TBD
Read: Selected Sonnets
Post #19 TBD
Week 10
Nov.22-28
Class 19 Lecture: Sonnets
 Style and Format
 Activity:Scansion
Discussion
 Final Paper: Questions
 Self-assessment on
homework
Read: Selected Sonnets
Post #20 TBD
Workon final paper
Complete self-assessment on homework : due
before next meeting
Prepare for recitation
HOLIDAY No Class: Thanksgiving
Week 11
Nov.29-
Dec. 5
Class 20 Homeworkself-assessment
due
Discussion: Sonnets
Prepare Recitation
Workon final paper

6. Class 21 Discussion: Sonnets
Project#1: Recitation: Last
Chance
Exam #3 Preparation
Study for Exam 3
Workon final paper
Finals Week
Tuesday,
December 8
1:45-3:45
Exam #3 (Comprehensive)
Essay #2 Due
CONGRATULATIONS!