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English 4340: The Tragedies of Shakespeare Dr. B. Ayne Cantrell COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: English 4340 is a study of Shakespeare's tragedies. We will read six of the tragedies with special attention to Shakespeare's development as a writer of tragedies and to his depiction of plot, character, theme, and imagery. The primary objective of our course of study is a close and imaginative reading of the plays leading to an understanding of and an appreciation for Shakespeare's dramatic achievement. We will engage primarily in formalist criticism, which calls for close textual analysis of the elements of Shakespeare's drama, but we will also give some attention to how the plays were performed in Shakespeare’s time and to how gender functions in the selected tragedies. Furthermore, students will acquire an understanding of Shakespeare’s place in English dramatic history and of the ideas that shape his tragedies. 4340 WEBCT: By signing up for English 4340-01, you are automatically enrolled in a web-enhanced course, which means that you will be able to access our course materials and communicate to me and other class members through WebCT twenty-four hours a day. This access is especially handy if you need to replace class handouts, if you want to work ahead on assignments, if you want to submit assignments in advance when you have to miss class, and if you want to peruse electronic resources on Shakespeare. Also we will have a few 4340 WebCT assignments. Please see page three of this syllabus for how to access our WebCT course. REQUIRED TEXT: All students must read the same editions of the plays found in The Riverside Shakespeare, Houghton Mifflin’s 2nd. ed. (1997). COURSE ACTIVITIES: Reading--The following tragedies will be read in the order that they were written: Writing--You will be required to write (1) a paragraph response for each play read, (2) an annotated bibliography on the female character of your choice from one of the tragedies studied, (3) a follow up research paper of 7-8 pages in length, (3) two examinations (mid-term and final), and (4) occasional WebCT email assignments. Speaking--You will be asked to participate in (1) class discussions of the plays, (2) reading of parts aloud in class for those who elect to do so, and (3) occasional informal small group discussions to solve problems concerning the plays. COURSE POLICIES: Attendance: The serious student will attend class regularly, which means that you should not miss class unless it is absolutely necessary. Students who miss class habitually usually do not do well on the examinations, which are derived from class discussions. Furthermore, students who miss the majority of class participation assignments (in class group discussions, WebCT email assignments, impromtu in-class writings, and the like) will not be eligible to earn credit for class participation. Tardiness: Do not be late to class more than twice. Grading: Your course grade will be based the weights of these assignments: 25% Mid-term exam (covers first three plays)25% Final exam (covers last three plays) 10% Paragraph responses 20% Research paper 10% The annotated bibliography 10% Class participation Grading scale: I use the following scale to determine assignment grades; however, I will not award plus and minus grades for your course grade. A (4.0) 93-100 Factors Determining Course Grade : In addition to the quality of the work, the following factors will affect your grade in the course:
Late Work: Late response paragraphs will not be accepted. Other late work will be penalized one letter grade for each class period late but will not be accepted after one week late. You may e-mail assignments in advance of due date by using WebCT Mail attachment. Accommodation for Students with Disabilities-- If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or if you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., speak with me as soon as possible and present the appropriate documentation from the Office of Disable Students, KUC 120 (898-2783). WEBCT ACCESS: Although I have created only a few WebCT assignments for you this semester (because my WebCT course is a work in progress), you should peruse the course and take advantage of WebCT mail (an internal email component where you can email me and fellow students) and the Study Tools section, including assignment checklists, exam study guides, e-Learning Hub (to supplement our course of study), and External Links and References where I provide additional resources for course content and your research. To access WebCT 4340-01, you must have a MTSU Student Computer Account. You can activate your account by following these five simple steps:
To login to WebCT Tragedies of Shakespeare (4340-01): WEBCT MAIL—COMMUNICATE VIA EMAIL WITH ME ONLY THROUGH WEBCT MAIL. All email communication is internal with WebCT, which means you have to be in our WebCT course to send or receive email messages for class purposes. Besides the email assignments noted on our syllabus schedule which follows, you may want to use WebCT Mail to follow up with me on questions about assignments and reading, to notify me of your absence from class, to ask for extended time to complete assignments, or to mail assignments as attachments when you cannot be in class to submit the work. IMPORTANT NOTICE: I will not credit work submitted to me other than in 4340 WebCT Mail. I will check my 4340 WebCT mail daily by 6 p.m. Please give me 24 hours to respond to your message. If you need me to respond sooner, phone me at home. To send an email message to me, login to our course WebCT Tragedies of Shakespeare via Pipeline (SEE INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE) and select "Communication Tools"--select "Mail"--and then follow these easy steps:
FREE TUTORING SERVICE—The University Writing Center is located in Peck Hall 325 (phone 904-8237, e-mail uwcenter@mtsu.edu). There students receive valuable one-on-one instruction to improve their writing. If I find that you have writing problems that can be best addressed in tutoring sessions, I will recommend--and sometimes require--that you take advantage of this free service. |
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