Courses

Winter Term information

184TA: Fishing in Literature

Course Time: TBD
Fees: None
Prerequisites: None

To the uninitiated, reading literature is a way to access a surface-level story. To those who have developed analytical and critical thinking skills, however, reading literary work is a method of studying the world we all live in. In this course you will read several books and approximately sixteen short pieces (short stories, poems and essays). We will also watch several films. There are really no accidents in the act of creating literary art, and with that in mind you will be asked to read each piece closely and evaluate the choices the writer has made. You will have to read in this class, and read thoroughly. You will also be expected to write response papers, analytical papers, and discuss the work in class, and these requirements will help you learn how to express what it is you think the writer is saying about this world. You can also expect to face quizzes on the reading material from time to time. Everything we read will connect, somehow, to fishing. Because, really, what else is there to write about? Nothing else matters.

184TB: Playing Shakespeare

Course Time: TBD
Fees: None
Prerequisites: None

Although he is now known as a figure of high literature, William Shakespeare was, in his own time, an actor and a playwright who made his living in the world of popular entertainment. Shakespeare was clearly a gifted wordsmith, but his plays are also full of action and emotion. Even today, his greatest works are best experienced in performance, and live productions of his plays still captivate audiences with their freshness, humor, and depth. This course will focus on the basics of staging, performing, and reviewing Shakespeare in performance. Through a series of readings, scene performances and workshops, film screenings, and short writings, we will explore the themes and characters of some of Shakespeare's most famous works, and we will also gain more comfort and experience with performing historical drama. Key course texts will include the sonnets, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, and Twelfth Night, as well as selected monologues and scenes from other works. Background in theatre and performance is welcomed, but not required--assessments will focus on course concepts rather than technical execution, and this course will assume little to no experience with acting or directing. All you will need is curiosity and a willingness to step into the fascinating world of Shakespeare in performance.