T C 357: Comedy, Ancient and Modern
Unique number 41090
Spring, 2005, MWF 10-11, CRD 007B
Timothy Moore, WAG 14CA, 232-4161, timmoore@mail.utexas.edu
Office hours MW 11-12:30, and by appointment
Course url: http://www.utexas.edu/courses/moorecomedy/index.htm
Our plan is to read, talk about, and write about comic plays, both from ancient Greece and Rome and from various modern nations. Our emphasis will be threefold:
1. What is the nature of dramatic comedy? How does it differ from and relate to more "serious" theatrical forms, such as tragedy and melodrama? What is it that makes plays funny?
2. How has dramatic comedy developed over time? What are the different types of dramatic comedy, and how do they differ from one another? How have modern comic playwrights responded to the traditions begun by their ancient predecessors?
3. How does comedy relate to society? Do comic plays reinforce or challenge the preconceptions of their audiences? How have comic playwrights responded to issues such as class, gender, religion, and politics? What happens when plays written for one society are adapted for another?
The course will be conducted as a seminar: early in the semester, each student will choose an element of comedy he or she finds especially interesting. Students will use these "specialties" to write papers and contribute to class discussions throughout the semester.
Grading:
Paper 1 (3-5 pages): 10%
Paper 2 (3-5 pages): 10%
Class participation (includes contribution to class discussion,
presentations, informal writing assignments, and, if deemed
necessary, announced and unannounced quizzes): 25%.
Research paper:
Draft: 20%
Final version: 35%
Texts
A word to the wise
It is imperative that you attend class each day, and that you read
each assignment before class. Please note the importance of class
participation in your grade. This means that you will be richly
rewarded for consistent attendance and preparation, but repeated
absences and/or lack of preparation for class will cost you
dearly.
Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty on any graded assignment will result in a 0 on
the assignment. Scholastic dishonesty includes any kind of cheating,
including plagiarism; if you are unsure about the exact definition
you should consult the General Information Catalogue, Appendix ,
Section 11-802 (http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/catalogs/gi01-02/app/appc11.html)
Academic disabilities
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate
academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For
more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at
471-6259 or 471-4641, or the information online at http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/ssd/index.html
Religious holidays
You may make up any work you miss for a religious holiday if you
notify me of the holiday fourteen days ahead of time.
Late work: On every assignment except the final paper, you have a grace period of one week. Thereafter, the grade on the assignment will be lowered by 10 points for each week the assignment is overdue. Students who hand in the final draft of the paper late will receive a grade of incomplete (X), to be changed to a grade when the paper is handed in.
January
19: Introduction to course
I. Variations on a Theme
21 Plautus, The Brothers Menaechmus (=Double Bind)
24 Shakespeare, Comedy of Errors
26 Rodgers, Hart, and Abbott, The Boys from Syracuse (electronic reserves)
II. Some Theoretical perspectives
A. What's Funny?: Theories of the Comic
28 Selections from Bergson and Freud from Robert W. Corrigan, Comedy: A Critical Anthology, pp. 745-750 (electronic reserves); Thomas C. Veatch, "A Theory of Humor," International Journal of Humor Research, May, 1998 (on line at http://www.tomveatch.com/else/humor/paper/humor.html)
B. What's Comedy?: Theories of Comedy
31: Northrop Frye, Anatomy of Criticism, pp. 163-186: "The Mythos of Spring: Comedy" (electronic reserves); Eric Bentley, The Life of the Drama, chapter 9: "Comedy" (electronic reserves)
III. Two Paradigms from Ancient Greece
2 Aristophanes, Birds
4 Aristophanes, Birds; Paper 1 due
7 Aristophanes, Lysistrata
9 Aristophanes, Clouds
11 Menander, The Bad-Tempered Man
14 Menander, The Girl from Samos
IV. Two Paradigms from Ancient Rome
16 Menander, Twice a Swindler; Plautus, The Wild, Wild Women; 5-minute oral reports on your specialty as it appears in this play: Language and Style, Metatheater, Intertextuality, Characters, Music, Genre
18 Plautus, The Wild, Wild Women; 5-minute oral reports on your specialty as it appears in this play: Humor, Victims, Morality, Love, Gender, Social Class
Sunday, February 20th, 6:00 PM; video of Terence, Brothers. FAC 327
21 Terence, The Brothers; Debate: Micio vs. Demea
23 Terence, The Brothers; Paper 2 due; Class convenes in PCL reference area for presentation by Beth Kerr, reference librarian
25 Terence, The Mother-in-Law
V. Medieval Variations, Continuities, and Beginnings
28 Six Japanese Kyôgen Plays from Don Kenny, The Kyogen Book: Busu, Hikkukuri, Mizu Kumi, Niwatori Muko, Ebisu Daikoku, and Tsuki-Mi Zato (electronic reserves)
March
2 The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play (original version on line at the Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia; version with modern spelling on electronic reserves)
4 Hrotsvit, Dulcitius (on line at The Medieval Source Book); Resource list for term paper due
6 Plan II Symposium, 8:30-5, Thompson Conference Center
VI. Comedy in Early Modern Europe
7 Anonymous, The Three Cuckolds, from Eric Bentley (ed.): The Classic Theatre, Volume I: Six Italian Plays (electronic reserves); Class convenes in Waggener 10: Professor Douglass Parker will discuss his translations of Lysistrata, Double Bind, and The Wild, Wild Women
9 Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew
11 Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew
14-18: Spring Break
21 Molière, The Bourgeois Gentleman; 10-minute report: Social Class
23 Molière, Tartuffe: 10-minute report: Morality
25 Congreve, The Way of the World: 10-minute report: Victims
28 Congreve, The Way of the World; Outline of term paper due
30 Centlivre, A Bold Stroke for a Wife; 10-minute report: Characters
April
1 Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville; 10-minute report: Metatheater
4 Beaumarchais, The Marriage of Figaro; 10-minute report: Gender
6 Beaumarchais, The Marriage of Figaro
VII. Comedy in Victorian Britain
8 Gilbert and Sullivan, Pirates of Penzance (on line at the Gilbert and Sullivan Archive); 10-minute report: Music
11 Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest: 10-minute report: Language and Style
13 Shaw, Arms and the Man: Love
VIII. The 20th Century
15 Mary Chase, Harvey: 10-minute report: Genre
18 Ionesco, The Bald Soprano: 10-minute report: Intertextuality
20 The Marx Brothers, Duck Soup (UGL VIDCASS 3463): 10-minute report: Humor
22 Billy Wilder, Some Like it Hot (UGL VIDCASS 3081); Draft of term paper due
IX. Seminar Reports
25 Reports
27 Reports
29 Reports
May
2 Reports
4 Reports
6 Reports
Wednesday, May 11 10:00 AM: Final Version of Term Paper Due