ENG 105 -- Intro Literature

William Shakespeare, wax cast for "Luminated Manuscripts" by Linda Ethier (1994) - photo by Ed Teague [link]

Expanded course description

Introduction to drama. Students will read, discuss, and analyze plays from a variety of periods and national traditions in order to become familiar with the major styles, techniques, and conventions that characterize dramatic literature. Readings will typically include major works by Sophocles, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Brecht, Albee, Miller, and others.

Although this is a course on drama as literature, with an emphasis on the interpretation and analysis of dramatic texts, students will explore the performative dimensions of drama as well. The course will provide a broad introduction to theoretical and historical debates that stand at the center literary studies today, and students will have the chance to enter into these debates through critical writing assignments totaling at least 8-10 pages. Readings typically average one play per week, in addition to which students may be expected to attend out-of-class screenings of dramatic performances.

As a basic introduction to texts, issues and questions that are central to the study of dramatic literature, this course satisfies the university's Group Requirement in the Arts and Letters category. It is not recommended for English Majors, who are encouraged to enroll in the department's more historically oriented and comprehensive Introduction to the English Major sequence, ENG 220-222.

Group: A&L

Offered 200701.

Syllabus

Although syllabi can change from term to term, a syllabus may provide further information about typical instances of this course.