20th Century British Drama Seminar
ENGL 6306
Spring 2003
Section 2064: MW 6-7:20
Irby 313
Texts: Wilde
Shaw
Synge
O’ Casey
Eliot
Beckett
Osborne
Pinter
Orton
Stoppard
Shaffer
Churchill
Dr. Fowler
Office: Irby 412
Hours: MWF 1-3
T Th 10:45-11:45; 1:30-2:30
Phone: 450-5107
E-mail: jamesf@mail.uca.edu
http://faculty.uca.edu/~jamesf/
The Importance of Being Earnest
Arms and the Man
The Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea
Three Dublin Plays
Murder in the Cathedral
Waiting for Godot
Look Back in Anger
The Homecoming
The Complete Plays
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Equus
Top Girls
Course Description: This seminar will survey the achievements of British theater in the
twentieth century, with attention to varieties of naturalism and artifice in stagecraft.
Course Objectives: Students will become conversant not only in the usual matters of
theme, character, situation, language, and tone, but also in the ways that each play might
hold a stage. While not a theater course, this seminar will emphasize the text as script, a
blueprint for production. Drama is a performance art, and students will be visualizing
these modern works in the playhouse of the head. On occasion, they will be analyzing
filmed versions as well.
Reading List:
Week 1, 2
Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest
3
Shaw: Arms and the Man
4
Synge: The Playboy of the Western World
5
O’Casey: The Plough and the Stars
6
Eliot: Murder in the Cathedral
7
[Exam: scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24]
7, 8
Beckett: Waiting for Godot
1
9
Osborne: Look Back in Anger
[Production Paper due: Monday, March 10]
10
Pinter: The Homecoming
11
Orton: Entertaining Mr. Sloane
12
Stoppard: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
13
Shaffer: Equus
[Research Paper due: Monday, April 14]
14
Churchill: Top Girls
Graded Assignments: You will be taking a Midterm Exam worth 100 points, and a Final
Exam worth 150 points. These exams will probably include passages for explication,
identification items, and essay topics. Further, you will write a production paper (7-8
pages) worth 100 points, and a research paper (10-12 pages) worth 150 points. I will
hand out detailed instructions on the former assignment. You will each select a play for
your research paper from the list at the end of the syllabus.
The total raw score for the course will be 500 points. I will convert your accumulated
points to a number on a 100-point scale, then assign a letter grade in accordance with the
following breakdown: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=0-59. I will round up
average scores within a half-point of the next higher letter grade (e.g., an average of 79.5
would earn you a B).
Missed/Late Assignments: Should you miss the Midterm exam, it is your responsibility
to contact me prior to the next class session and arrange to take it. If for some very good
reason you miss the Final Exam (Monday, April 28, 6-8 p.m.), you must contact me and
arrange to take it by Wednesday, April 30 (medical emergencies excepted). I reserve the
right to assign a score of zero if you fail to meet these rescheduling requirements. My
paper deadlines are basically firm; if you plead your case well, I may allow you a single
day’s extension. Otherwise, I will penalize you a letter grade for each day the paper is
late.
Attendance: You may miss up to three class sessions, whatever your reasons. If you
exceed that limit, you will either have to drop the course or be dropped by me with a WF.
You may not leave class early. Please do not bring children to class with you. Turn off
your beeping gadgets at the door.
Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Cheating in any form is a serious academic transgression, and
may result in penalties as severe as a zero on the assignment in question or possible
expulsion from the course with a WF. Plagiarism, a form of intellectual dishonesty,
2
occurs when you present someone else’s ideas or specific language as your own,
intentionally neglecting to give due credit.
University Policies: As a student member of the university community, you should be
familiar with your rights and responsibilities. You can find university policies regarding
such matters as academic and personal conduct (including sexual harassment) in the
2002-03 Student Handbook & Daily Planner (see in particular pages 32-36, 102-09).
Disabilities Statement: “The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need accommodation under this act due to
a disability, contact the Office of Disability Support Services at 450-3135.”
Plays for Research Paper Topics:
Shaw
Major Barbara
O’Casey
Juno and the Paycock
The Shadow of a Gunman
Beckett
Endgame
Krapp’s Last Tape
Osborne
The Entertainer
S. Delaney
A Taste of Honey
Pinter
The Dumb Waiter
Orton
What the Butler Saw
D. Hare
Plenty
Churchill
Serious Money
Stoppard
Arcadia
3