MALS 700X
Dr. Corey
Telephone: 951-5860 Office: 3114B

The Self And Society

Description

The first unit of the introduction emphasized the issue of personal identity in a variety of sacred and secular texts. The next two units will continue this investigation by considering the inherently comedic representation of the self--or, more particularly, the loss and reconstitution of the self--in Shakespeare's comedies and in a selected group of Hollywood's screwball comedies. Emphasis will be placed on the archetypal uses of madness, the dream state, disguise, mistaken identity, twinship, and linguistic double entendre.

Requirements

Students are responsible for all assigned readings of primary texts and critical materials in the packet that will be available a Far Better Copy.

Students must attend lectures and screenings and be prepared for class discussion of texts. The quality of class discussion will indicate your level of preparation.

In addition, students must submit, on the evening of the last session,a journal of critical essays and observations about issues raised in the readings and in books, plays, movies and television beyond the required texts.

A final examination covering all three units of the introductory semester will be given at the end of the semester.

Readinqs and Screeninqs

Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors
                          A Midsummer Night's Dream
                          The Tempest (All: New Penguin Editions)

The Lady Eve
It Happened one Night
Adam's Rib
The Philadelphia Story
His Girl Friday
Bringing Up Baby

Critical materials from Harold Bloom, et al (Far Better Copy)