English 3123: Shakespeare I

Tanya Pollard – Fall 2015

5143 Boylan

TR 11:00-12:15

E-mail: Tpollard@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Web: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/tpollard

Office: 3108 Boylan

Phone: 718-951-5000 x 3644

Hours: TR 9-9:30 & 12:15-12:45 and by appointment

Week

Date

Assignment

Presenters

1

8-27

Introduction

2

9-1

Comedy of Errors, Acts 1-2

9-3

Comedy of Errors, Acts 3-4; OED research, Library room 383

3

9-8

Comedy of Errors, Act 5

1

9-10

No class (Monday schedule)

4

9-15

No class

9-17

Titus Andronicus, Acts 1-2

2

5

9-22

No class

9-24

Titus Andronicus, Act 3-4

3

6

9-29

Titus Andronicus, Act 5

4

10-1

Hamlet, Acts 1-2

1

7

10-6

Hamlet, Acts 3-4

2

10-8

Hamlet, Act 5

3

8

10-13

Exam

10-15

Twelfth Night, Acts 1-2

4

9

10-20

Twelfth Night, Acts 3-4

1

10-22

Twelfth Night, Act 5

2

10

10-27

Winter’s Tale, Acts 1-2

3

10-29

Winter’s Tale, Acts 3-4

4

11

11-3

Winter’s Tale, Act 5

1

11-5

Tempest, Acts 1-2

2

12

11-10

Tempest, Acts 3-4

3

11-12

Tempest, 5

4

13

11-17

Review

11-19

Exam

14

11-24

Library research workshop

11-26

No class: Thanksgiving

15

12-1

Research presentations and responses

12-3

Research presentations and responses

16

12-8

Research presentations and responses

12-10

Research paper due; peer-editing workshop

17

12-15

Revision consultations

12-17

Revised research paper due

Course Requirements and Expectations:

Attendance

Because your contributions to class discussion are a central part of your work for this course, attendance is crucial. If you miss more than three classes, your overall grade will drop; at six absences, you will fail the class. Arriving late to class will count as one-third of an absence.

Texts

I have ordered Signet Editions of the plays on our syllabus at the College Bookstore; you may purchase them elsewhere if you prefer, and other editions are acceptable as well. You must bring a hard copy of the play to each class session: if cost is an issue, you will find copies in the library, and in an emergency can borrow copies from me.

Participation

Learning is a collaborative process, which works best when each of you engages fully with the texts and with each other. To this end, I will expect you to participate actively in class discussions, and you will be required to present ideas for class discussion on a rotating basis. Your contributions will determine a significant portion of the semester’s grade. In order to build a classroom atmosphere of courtesy and concentration, please avoid behavior that is disrespectful and interferes with others’ learning, including rudeness, talking while others are speaking, and ringing from cell-phones, pagers, watches, etc.

Writing

Over the course of the semester you will write four short (2 page) papers accompanying in-class presentations, as well as one longer (8-10 page) research paper. All written work should have a central claim that is well argued, clearly written, and directly supported by close readings of textual passages; the research paper will also incorporate, and respond to, at least three secondary sources. All papers should be stapled, typed, double-spaced, in a 12-point font, with one-inch margins on all sides. Written work is due at the start of class, and lateness will result in lowering of the grade by one-third of a grade per day. Any use of others’ ideas must be fully acknowledged in footnotes; speak to me if you are unsure about what this means. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and will result in failing the class and being reported to the Dean’s Office.

Coursework and grading:

Regular brief quizzes	15%
Short (2 pages) essays, 5% each	20%
Presentations and participation	15%
Midterm exam	15%
Final exam	15%
Final research project (5% proposal, 5% draft, 10% final)	20%