Fall 2005 - Exploration of the Humanities [Early Theatre]

HUMA 1301, Section 007

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 am – 10:45 am

Dr. Nadine D. Pederson

ndpederson@utdallas.edu
Mail Station JO 31

Office telephone: 972-883-2168

Office location: JO 5.708
Office hours [begin Aug 25]: Thursdays, 11:00 – 11:30 am, and 3:30-5:00 pm
Tuesdays by appointment

Please note: this syllabus is subject to change at my discretion. All changes will be posted on
WebCT, and printed copies handed out in class.

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE:

This course will explore the practice of theatre arts in Europe from classical Greece and Rome through
the seventeenth century, with special focus on the larger social, cultural, and intellectual contexts of
theatrical performance.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Oscar G. Brockett and Franklin J. Hildy. History of the Theatre (9th edition). Allyn & Bacon, 2002.
[9th edition only!]

Daniel Gerould. Theatre/Theory/Theatre: The Major Critical Texts from Aristotle and Zeami to
Soyinka and Havel. Applause Books, 2003.

A.M. Nagler. A Source Book in Theatrical History. Dover Publications, 1959.

Select plays [any edition]. Many of these are online – I will post links on WebCT. Of special interest
are the resources available at www.gutenberg.org

Note: The three core texts will be used for future theatre history courses.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS/EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Participation: 10%: I am not as concerned with attendance as I am with your contribution to the
scholarly atmosphere of the course. Examples of things that contribute to that atmosphere include
coming prepared to class, asking questions that help to clarify the assigned readings, and making
comments that link the readings to outside material (perhaps from other courses). Examples of things
that detract from that atmosphere include arriving late or leaving early, cell phone use, distracting
behavior during lectures, speaking unkindly or disrespectfully to or about anyone in the classroom, or
expecting special treatment.

Mid-term exam: 35% + Final exam: 55%: these will consist largely of multiple choice, matching, and
short-answer questions, and will be graded primarily on accuracy (did you give the right answer?),
clarity (can I read what you wrote?), and what I call innovation (can you take the material we learned in
class and apply it to the interpretation of a specific document?). I will be handing out study guides
before the exams; if you can answer the questions on the study guides, you will be fine on the exams.

Additional tips for getting a good grade in this class:

• Do all of the required reading
• As you read, make a note of questions you have (to be asked in class or during my office
hours)
• As you listen to lectures, ask me to clarify concepts you don’t understand (either in class or
during my office hours)
• Take extensive lecture notes
• Consider meeting with your fellow classmates to read the material out loud (especially the
plays)
• Before the exams, make sure you can answer all of the questions on the study guides

A short guide to grades:

A = excellent
B = good
C = competent
D = poor
F = failing
I will also use +/-

SCHEDULE:

August 18: Introduction

August 23: Ancient Greece

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 2
August 25: Ancient Greece
Reading due: Nagler, 2-16; Gerould, 43-67; Aristophanes, The Acharnians [available at
www.gutenberg.org]

August 30: Ancient Rome

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 3
September 1: Ancient Rome
Reading due: Nagler, 17-36; Gerould, 68-83; play TBA
September 2: last day to drop this class without a W

September 6: Medieval Europe

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 4
September 8: Medieval England
Reading due: Nagler, 39-41 and 49-53; play TBA

September 13: Medieval England

Reading due: plays TBA
September 15: Medieval France
Reading due: Nagler, 45-49; play TBA

September 20: Medieval France

Reading due: plays TBA
September 22: Medieval Italy
Reading due: Nagler, 41-44; play TBA

September 27: Medieval Italy

Reading due: plays TBA
September 29: Medieval Spain
Reading due: plays TBA; mid-term review sheet distributed

October 4: Medieval Germany

Reading due: plays TBA
October 6: Mid-term Exam

October 11: England to 1642

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 5
October 13: England to 1642/Restoration England
Reading due: Nagler, 113-157 [selections]; Gerould, 117-127; plays TBA

October 18: Restoration England

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 9 [short selections]; Nagler, 157-164 and 203-207;
Gerould, 168-178
October 20: Renaissance France Last day to withdraw with WP/WF
Reading due: TBA

October 25: 17th century France

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 8
October 27: 17th century France
Reading due: Nagler, 166-199 [selections]; Gerould, 146-167; play TBA

November 1: Renaissance Italy

Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 7
November 3: Renaissance Italy
Reading due: Nagler, 71-86 and 102-110 [selections]; Gerould, 108-116; play TBA

November 8: 17th century Italy

Reading due: Nagler, 86-102; Gerould, 128-134; play TBA
November 10: Spain to 1700
Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 6

November 15: Spain to 1700

Reading due: Nagler, 57-68; Gerould, 135-145; play TBA
November 17: Germany to 1700
Reading due: Brockett, Chapter 11 [selections]; play TBA

November 22: Review

Reading due: Gerould, 11-26; final exam review sheet distributed

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, Dec 1, 8:00 am – 10:30 am

Grades available Friday, Dec. 9. If you would like your graded final exam sent to you, please
provide a SASE on the day of the exam.

OTHER PROCEDURAL MATTERS:

University closings are posted on the home page: www.utdallas.edu.

Canceled classes: if something comes up, I will attempt to post on WebCT and to e-mail you; if I am
unable to do so, I will notify the Arts & Humanities office and they will post a sign on our classroom.

Missed exams : If you are ill or have a family emergency, please either e-mail me or leave a message
on my office phone before the start of the exam. For a medical excuse, I require a note from your
doctor on official letterhead; for other emergencies, please provide verifiable documentation. All exams
must be made up as soon as possible; we will arrange these on an individual basis.

Incompletes: UTD policy states that a student must complete 70% of the coursework in order to
receive an incomplete.

E-mail correspondence: I cannot accept e-mail sent from outside the UTD server; I cannot accept e-
mail sent to me any other address than the one listed above.

Disability accommodations : the easiest thing to do is to contact the Office of Disability Services at
x6104 and have them contact me to explain what you need; I will be happy to comply with any
reasonable accommodations your condition requires.

Grade changes: all grades are final, unless you sincerely believe I have made a mistake or have been
unfair. In that case, please submit a written explanation (no longer than one page) within one week of
receiving your grade for a particular exam, detailing the reasons why your think an error or misjudgment
has been made. I will reevaluate your work, but bear in mind that I may find additional problems I had
not noticed on my first reading. It is therefore possible that you may end up with a lower grade rather
than a higher one. If, after this procedure has been followed, you still believe your grade is inaccurate,
you have the right to appeal through university channels.

Academic dishonesty: please refer to the university’s policy, available on UTD website. I cannot place
enough stress on how important it is that you be scrupulously honest in this area.

Sexual harassment (or any other kind of harassment): unacceptable. Please see the UTD policy.