11:15A-12:30P TR (40) 3 cr

This course surveys European drama from its origins in Greek
culture to the contemporary theater scene, particularly in
England and America.  We will read several landmark plays from
earlier periods of great theater--OEDIPUS THE KING, HAMLET, the
English comedy of manners THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL--but most of the
course will be devoted to modern and contemporary drama.  The
plays are taken from an anthology, and I will use the selections
to illustrate two sequences, historical and formal.  Following
the three classical plays already mentioned, for modern theater
history, we will study plays that show the rise of dramatic
realism (Ibsen, Chekhov, Williams), some of the movements which
rose in opposition to slavish realism in the first half of this
century (Brecht's politicized epic theater; Beckett and absurdist
theater), and recent plays by writers like Sam Shepard and Maria
Irene Fornes, who are developing  modernist styles in a
contemporary postmodern idiom.  In terms of looking at
characteristic forms and features of drama, the plays were
selected from our anthology to illustrate such aspects as
tragedy, comedy and tragicomedy, and to illustrate features like
dramatic character, theatrical language, scenography and other
theatrical elements.  While the course is organized
chronologically, we will pay attention to these characteristic
aspects of dramatic literature and theatrical form as we
encounter them.  The class format will combine short lectures
with some discussion sessions.  Assignments include two short
papers (4-6 pp.) and two examinations.  Students will keep a
journal of our readings and other activities (like going to local
play productions), and I would like this to be done on e-mail, so
that some journal entries can be shared with the whole class.  I
will encourage students to perform a few scenes from the plays in
class, perhaps as a substitute for some of the journal
assignments.  Text:  Milly S. Barranger, editor, UNDERSTANDING
PLAYS (Second edition).  It contains 17 plays, and this comprises
the course reading for L203.