thea251

Dramatic Criticism & Structure   TH 251                                                             Dr. Teresa Durbin
Spring 2005 3 credit hours                                                                               Office: 123 A&H Ext. 5821
TR 1:40 - 2:55    102 AH                                                                                   E-mail: tdurbin@ashland.edu
                                                                                                                             Office Hours: M-Th 11 a.m. -noon
                                                                                                                                & by appointment

I enter the classroom with the assumption that we must build community in order to create a climate of openness and intellectual rigor. . . . What we all ideally share is the desire to learn--to receive actively knowledge that enhances our intellectual development and our capacity to live more fully in the world. - bell hooks

Catalog Course Description: A study of the aesthetics of dramatic craftsmanship, from Aristotelian theory (tragedy and comedy) to present-day modes (melodrama, tragi-comedy, mixed forms and post-modern drama), with structural analysis of representative plays.

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to various methods of script analysis or “how to read a play.” All artists and teachers of theatre must know how to read, understand and interpret the written dramatic text. Various methods and approaches to script analysis will be discussed and then applied to representative texts. Each method can be considered a “lens” through which plays can be examined. In this course students will be encouraged to view scripts through new lenses.

Course Objectives: Students will:
   1. identify elements of dramatic structure and characteristics of dramatic genre
   2. apply methods of analysis to dramatic scripts
   3. critically read and analyze representative scripts
   4. effectively and articulately communicate both orally and in writing
   5. identify, use and evaluate library and on-line research tools for theatre

Course Content: Students will read examples of dramatic criticism to establish a foundation of elements of drama.   Characteristics of tragedy, the well-made play and Epic Theatre will be identified and examined in representative plays. Elements of dramatic literature such as plot structure, character, language and spectacle will be examined in representative plays.

Instructional Approach: Lecture and class discussion will be used to support and enhance reading assignments.   Reading, writing, thinking, analyzing, discussing and asking questions will all be involved in this course. Students will complete a written analysis for each play read.

Required Texts:
   The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama, 3rd edition by W.B. Worthen
   Backwords & Forwards by David Ball
   Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Evaluation Criteria:
   Exams                             25%
   Play Sheets/Cards           15%
   Play Analyses                  50%
   Attendance/Participation 10%

Late Work: All assignments are to be turned in during class time. Play cards are generally collected at the end of class while most other assignments will be collected at the beginning of class. If for some reason you cannot turn in an assignment at that time, late assignments must be placed in my mailbox on the first floor of A&H. If you choose to turn in an assignment outside of class, you do so at your own risk. I will not be responsible for "finding" assignments not turned in during class. DO NOT slide assignments under my office door, leave them on my desk or chair, e-mail them to me, turn them in on a disk, or hand them to me outside of class.

Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend every class meeting. Erratic attendance should be avoided and missing more than a week's worth of classes (2) will affect your final grade.   I understand that illness and unexpected circumstances do occur, please notify me yourself if you are unable to attend class.   Student athletes are expected to give me a schedule indicating class absences due to athletic events prior to missing any classes.

Class Preparation and Participation: It is expected that you will come to class having read the material and completed written assignments. In order to critically engage with the material and your classmates, while reading you should take notes, make observations and ask questions. Write down all questions which are raised as you read the material and bring them to class for discussion. Class participation is directly tied to class preparation. If you are present and prepared for class you will be able to participate. The following criteria will be used to determine your class participation grade:
          * Prompt arrival to class
          * Respectful and active contributions to small and large group class discussions demonstrating comprehension of the material                 and preparation for class
          * Raising relevant and pertinent questions about the material in an effort to better understand and evaluate the assigned texts                 (plays, criticism, essays, etc.) and their relationship to theatre

Academic Responsibility: Academic honesty and integrity is expected of all students. Everyone is expected to complete her/his own work. Any information quoted or paraphrased from another source must be cited for all assignments. Please refer to the Academic Integrity policies outlined in the Student Handbook and University Catalog. While discussion of class material outside of class is encouraged, it is expected that all written assignments are completed by the student and demonstrate each individual's understanding of the material and assignment. Any violation of academic honesty may result in failure of the assignment and/or class.

Accommodations Statement: For students who have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs can be appropriately met.

Play Cards/Sheets:   For each play read and discussed in class, you will turn in a play card. You may use individual note cards, notebooks, etc. The goal is for you to begin keeping a record of all the plays you read so that you can refer to these cards at a later date and have a clue as to what the play is about. Play cards should be completed by the first day that the play is discussed.    Any card turned in after the end of class will be considered late. Those of you keeping all of your play cards in one notebook, be sure that I initial your notebook at the end of each class discussion.

Tentative Daily Schedule & Assignments
(subject to change)

January
    11    T     Introduction to Course, syllabus and one another
                  “Putting the pieces together”
    13    R     How do you read a play? What are play cards?
                  Read Trifles, Worthen pp. 3 - 10, Complete play card for Trifles in class
    18    T     The “shape” of a play - Continue discussion of Trifles
                Read Ball Forward, Introduction through page 36
    20    R   Methods of shaping a play - Continue Discussion of Trifles
                  Read Ball pp. 37- 78
    25    T   Tricks of the Trade - Continue Discussion of Trifles
                  Read Ball pp. 81-96 , Complete Trifles Analysis in class
    27    R   Aristotle’s Poetics
                Read Worthen pp. 125 - 135
February
    1    T    Continue Discussion of Poetics - Definition of tragedy
    3    R    Continue Discussion of Poetics - the six elements
    8    T    Continue Discussion of Poetics - Catharsis, Pity & Fear
    10      R   Aristotle’s ideal tragedy - Discuss Oedipus
                     Read Oedipus
    15      T    Continue discussion of Oedipus
                    Oedipus play card due
    17      R     Continue discussion of Oedipus
                     Oedipus analysis due
    22      T     Mid-term exam
    24    R    Renaissance tragedy - Discuss Hamlet (Acts I & II)
                     Read Hamlet
March
    1        T      Continue Discussion of Hamlet (Acts I & II)
    3        R      Continue Discussion of Hamlet (Acts III - V)
                       Hamlet play card due
SPRING BREAK
    15      T       Continue Discussion of Hamlet
                        Hamlet analysis due
    17      R       Modern Tragedy - Discuss Death of a Salesman
                        Read Death of a Salesman
    22      T       Continue Discussion of Death of a Salesman
                        Death of a Salesman play card due
    24    R        Continue Discussion of Death of a Salesman
                        Read Miller’s essay in Worthen pp. 1162-1164
    29    T        Continue Discussion of Death of a Salesman
                        Death of a Salesman analysis due
    31    R      The Well-made play - Discuss A Doll House
                        Read A Doll House
April
    5        T       Continue Discussion of A Doll House    play card due
    7        R       Continue Discussion of A Doll House
                        A Doll House analysis due
    12    T        Brecht & Epic Theatre - Discuss Mother Courage & Her Children
                        Read Mother Courage and Her Children
    14     R        Continue Discussion of Mother Courage & Her Children
                        Mother Courage and Her Children play card due
    19    T           Continue Discussion of Mother Courage & Her Children
                      Read Brecht’s essay in Worthen pp. 889 - 894
    21    R        Continue Discussion of Brecht & Mother Courage & Her Children
                        Mother Courage and Her Children analysis due
    26    T        Catch-up day
    28    R         Course Wrap-Up

FINAL EXAM: TUESDAY, MAY 3 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

ASSIGNMENT SHEET

ASSIGNMENT	TOTAL POINTS	YOUR SCORE
Mid-term Exam Final Exam Trifles Play card ( in class) Oedipus Play card Hamlet Play card Death of a Salesman Play card A Doll House Play card Mother Courage Play card Trifles Analysis (in-class) Oedipus Analysis Hamlet Analysis Death of a Salesman Ana. A Doll House Analysis Mother Courage Analysis Participation/Attendance TOTAL	100 150 10 20 30 30 30 30 50 50 100 100 100 100 100 1000	_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________

GRADING SCALE

94-100      A           80-82       B-           67-69       D+
90-93       A-           77-79       C+           63-66       D
87-89       B+          73-76       C           60-62       D-
83-86       B           70-72       C-              0-59       F

C   work demonstrates knowledge, comprehension and application of terms and ideas
B work, in addition to the above, also demonstrates analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the terms and ideas
A work demonstrates greater depth of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of terms and ideas integrating concepts and topics from class discussions and readings

Dialogue is a student-centered, cooperative form of learning. A dialogic, problem-posing class evolves mutually
from the knowledge of teacher and students. - Ira Shor

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