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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 243"
COURSE NAME: "Shakespeare In Italy"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Conor Deane
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MTWTH 2:00 PM 3:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The aim of this course is to show how Italy was a formative influence on Shakespeare, and how Shakespeare is a formative influence on our culture.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

In as much as Shakespeare is not known to have visited Italy, yet chose  Italian settings for so many of his plays and derived many of his plots from Italian (and classical Latin) sources,  a course that sets out to look at  Shakespeare in Italy will inevitably, and rewardingly, end up exploring the Italy in Shakespeare.

In Italy, the Renaissance retains strong physical  presence in the very architecture of the cities, while the  great painters and sculptors of the period left  a  magnificent patrimony of  visual art.  Translated to England, however, the Renaissance acquired a pre-eminently literary form, and Shakespeare was to become a defining literary force at the very moment England began building a  mercantile empire based on ideas of individualism, capital acquisition, trade and  communication that continue to inform current western values. At the same time Shakespeare was  enriching English, English was becoming the language of enrichment, and remains so today. 

Just as the Romans grew militarily and financially more powerful than the Greeks but still deferred to Greek culture,  so the Elizabethans saw in Italy as a place of great culture but fading might.  Arguably, this handing on of the cultural baton from a fading empire to a new power  has since taken place between Britain and the United States, whose culture  therefore  owes a great deal to Shakespeare and Shakespeare’s idea of Italy.   

We shall look in detail at five plays (these plays must be read and studied carefully) and glance at five others (considering the plot, characters, important scenes and speeches, but without reading the full work), which we shall examine primarily for the light they shed on the main texts.  All ten are located in Italy or peopled by characters from Italy. We shall also see how film directors have interpreted the plays for modern audiences, and consider the Shakespearean-Italian influences in popular Hollywood productions, ranging from the “Rom Com” to Sci-Fi and even the Marvel Comic superhero.

 

Theme

Main Play

Subsidiary Play

Class work/excursions/films

Week 1

Romance and cynicism. Men who love women.

Romeo and Juliet

Two Gentlemen of Verona

Class test on Romeo and Juliet /the persistent charm of romantic comedy/tragedy

Week 2

Rome and the tragic hero. America and the Superhero.

Julius Caesar

Titus Andronicus

Test on Julius Caesar/Visit to Forum; Essay (3 pages)

Week 3

Capitalism, trade, money and race

The Merchant of Venice

The Comedy of Errors

Test on The Merchant of Venice/Film/Visit to Jewish Ghetto of Rome; Essay (3 pages)

Week 4

War and love. Men who hate women.

Antony and Cleopatra

Coriolanus

Test on Antony and Cleopatra/Visit to Capitoline Museum Essay (3 pages)

Week 5

Italy as Arcadia. Gardens, islands and secret hideaways.

Much Ado about Nothing

The Tempest

Test on Much Ado about Nothing.  Visit, if possible,  to Villa d’Este; if not, to Villa Medici.

Final

Research paper (c. 10 pages)

 

 

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will learn to see  how the early modern literature of Shakespeare grew out of the Italian Renaissance. They will learn how Shakespeare shapes our language and thinking, and, above all, come to enjoy and appreciate the beauty and relevance of his thought. They  will learn to be at ease with Shakespeare's early modern English and learn to read him without fear. The course seeks to enhance their capacity for critical thinking and improve their expressiveness and precision in writing.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
The Oxford ShakespeareStanley Wells and Gary Taylor (eds)Oxford0198182848 The Oxford Shakespeare is a complete works, set out in chronological order, and considerably cheaper than buying the plays individually. It will be available for purchase from The Almost Corner Bookshop near the University.    
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Shakespeare and ItalyJack D'AmicoUniversity of Florida Press0813018781  
Roman Lives: A Selection of Eight LivesPlutarchOxford World's Classics0199537380  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class testsShort tests to ensure the main texts have been read and in the main understood.15
Three essaysThree short essays (c. 3 pages) to be delivered within a week of assignment45
Research paperA longer essay (c. 10 pages) for delivery at end of course25
Attendance and participationAttendance is mandatory; classroom participation and discussion are indicative of the student's level of preparation, interest and understandign15

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Two absences, even without justification, will be tolerated.  As participation is counted towards the final grade (see Assessment Method), further absences will necessarily harm the student's average. More than five absences will result in a no-grade (fail).  
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE