English 15

Course Pre-Requisite: English 1.

Course Description: In this course, students read and

analyze seven or eight of Shakespeare's most popular

plays, as well as study his life, times, and theatre.

Course Materials: The Complete Pelican Shakespeare.

Edited by Stephen Orgel.

Other Materials: I recommend these sites for help with plot etc..

No Sweat Shakespeare:
Also: Magill on the SMC Library Database: http://library.smc.edu/new/eresources/lidb.html Type in Shakespeare and the title of the play for nice summaries and critical evaluations.
In the textbook each play has an introduction. Read them carefully as test questions can come from there. They don’t really tell you plot (see above) these introductions offer you concepts and theories that help us to approach the plays in more productive ways. They are usually built around theoretical ideas coming out of gender theory, queer theory, as well as theories of race and post-colonialism: so in addition to getting to grips with the play itself you will be expected to get to grips with these introductions too. I will base some writing assignments around them too.

Grading: Your grade will be based on the following scores:

Grading Scale: 360-400 points = A Excellent

320-359 points = B Good

280-319 points = C Satisfactory

240-279 points = D Less than Satisfactory

Below 240 pts = F Failing

Exam 1: 130 points

Exam 2: 130 points

Exam 3: 130 points

Attendance: 10 points.

Total Possible Points: 400 points.

Final Exam: Last Day of Summer Class. Due in Canvas!

INSTRUCTOR METHODS:

Watch the plays as many times as you can. If we try to watch all the plays it would take roughly 21 hours. I would like to watch a lot of the plays but I also need to take time to help you to read the plays carefully. So we will try to balance our time between watching and reading.

The more reading you do then the easier your understanding will become. Read them at least twice. Read summaries regularly so that names and plots begin to stick. You cannot say “I’m no good with names.” When it comes to the exams being able to say who is talking about who will be key.

If you get lost go back to where you were okay then read slowly with some kind of guide. Individual vocabulary may be less crucial than getting the general (but

accurate) sense of what people are saying. If you have 20 lines

from one person don’t get bogged down in each word: read

the entire chunk and make sure you know what they are

saying. If you have time then you can go back

in and do some vocab.

Students have a tendency to generalize in the

hope that it makes them look smart and/or covers

up for a lack of actual knowledge and/or reading

skills. Avoid the temptation to generalize as it

actually exposes your lack of knowledge. Talking

on tests about how much of a genius Shakespeare is

and how vivid all the imagery is and how deep the symbolism is and how life is captured vividly by the deep symbolic symbolism in the deeply vivid imagery….actually means you will lose points. So read carefully, and think about what you are reading and remember to “BS”: i.e. BE SPECIFIC!! J

Your role is to come to class prepared. You are required to have read the assigned material before the class and to be ready to participate in class discussion or assignments. If we are to get the most out of this class you will have to do a lot of work on your own time: reading, watching etc. The amount of time in class / on canvas is simply the tip of the iceberg.

Honest and ethical students are protected in this class. The SMC Honor Code and Code of Academic Integrity, printed in the General Catalog, reminds students of their responsibility to behave honestly and ethically. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with these codes. Please be extremely careful that you do not engage in any behavior that could even be construed as cheating. Outside of class, students are allowed to study together. However, copying another student's homework is not acceptable. If the instructor determines that students have “relied” too heavily on each other in preparing homework or any other project, the students may be assigned no credit.

I will vigorously pursue any suspected cases of plagiarism, cheating or other violations of the SMC Code of Academic Conduct, whether completed or merely attempted. Even a first offense of academic dishonestly will result in a score of zero on that exam, and an Academic Dishonesty Report form will be filed with the Campus Disciplinarian.

EXAMS:

As with any course, it is crucial that you do not miss any classes! However, this is summer session course which means we will cover a large amount of material in a short period of time. Excessively tardy or absent students may be dropped from the class.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Students are responsible for understanding the SMC withdrawal policy and applicable deadlines.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

I am happy to make academic adjustments for students with documented disabilities. Please contact the Center for Students with Disabilities if this applies to you. The Center for Students with Disabilities is located in Room 101 of the Admissions/Student Services Complex, located on the north side of Main campus, next to Admissions. For more information, call (310) 434-4265 or (310) 434-4273 (TDD)

Course Outline

Week One : Read main introduction : just the short section on The Shakespearean Theatrical World . First Play Much Ado About Nothing (365 onwards.) Read the introduction by Peter Holland (pages 365-369).

Week Two: Twelfth Night (page 438: read Crewe's introduction) and Othello (page 1392 Read McDonald's Introduction).

End of Week Two : Exam 1: Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these three plays. Plus short essay type writing based on the introductions. 130 points

Week Three: Love’s Labor’s Lost (page 208: read Holland's Introduction.)

Week Four: Richard II. (page 958: read Dolan's Introduction).

End of Week Four: Exam 2. Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these two plays and the introductions from the textbook. 130 points.

Week Five: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (page 249: read McDonald's introduction).

Week Six: King Lear (page 1573: read the intro to the play wruitten by Orgel)

End of Week 6: Exam 3. Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these two plays and the introductions for these two plays. 130 points. In class.

Total : 390 + 10 Attendance. = 400.

English 15

Course Pre-Requisite: English 1.

​

Course Description: In this course, students read and

analyze seven or eight of Shakespeare's most popular

plays, as well as study his life, times, and theatre.

​

Course Materials: The Complete Pelican Shakespeare.

Edited by Stephen Orgel.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Other Materials: I recommend these sites for help with plot etc..

No Sweat Shakespeare:

Also: Magill on the SMC Library Database: http://library.smc.edu/new/eresources/lidb.html Type in Shakespeare and the title of the play for nice summaries and critical evaluations.

​

Grading: Your grade will be based on the following scores:

Grading Scale: 360-400 points = A Excellent

320-359 points = B Good

280-319 points = C Satisfactory

240-279 points = D Less than Satisfactory

Below 240 pts = F Failing

Exam 1: 130 points

Exam 2: 130 points

Exam 3: 130 points

Attendance: 10 points.

Total Possible Points: 400 points.

Final Exam: Last Day of Summer Class. Due in Canvas!

INSTRUCTOR METHODS:

Watch the plays as many times as you can. If we try to watch all the plays it would take roughly 21 hours. I would like to watch a lot of the plays but I also need to take time to help you to read the plays carefully. So we will try to balance our time between watching and reading.

The more reading you do then the easier your understanding will become. Read them at least twice. Read summaries regularly so that names and plots begin to stick. You cannot say “I’m no good with names.” When it comes to the exams being able to say who is talking about who will be key.

If you get lost go back to where you were okay then read slowly with some kind of guide. Individual vocabulary may be less crucial than getting the general (but

accurate) sense of what people are saying. If you have 20 lines

from one person don’t get bogged down in each word: read

the entire chunk and make sure you know what they are

saying. If you have time then you can go back

in and do some vocab.

Students have a tendency to generalize in the

hope that it makes them look smart and/or covers

up for a lack of actual knowledge and/or reading

skills. Avoid the temptation to generalize as it

actually exposes your lack of knowledge. Talking

on tests about how much of a genius Shakespeare is

and how vivid all the imagery is and how deep the symbolism is and how life is captured vividly by the deep symbolic symbolism in the deeply vivid imagery….actually means you will lose points. So read carefully, and think about what you are reading and remember to “BS”: i.e. BE SPECIFIC!! J

​

EXAMS:

​

As with any course, it is crucial that you do not miss any classes! However, this is summer session course which means we will cover a large amount of material in a short period of time. Excessively tardy or absent students may be dropped from the class.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Students are responsible for understanding the SMC withdrawal policy and applicable deadlines.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Course Outline

​

Week One : Read main introduction : just the short section on The Shakespearean Theatrical World . First Play Much Ado About Nothing (365 onwards.) Read the introduction by Peter Holland (pages 365-369).

​

Week Two: Twelfth Night (page 438: read Crewe's introduction) and Othello (page 1392 Read McDonald's Introduction).

​

End of Week Two : Exam 1: Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these three plays. Plus short essay type writing based on the introductions. 130 points

​

Week Three: Love’s Labor’s Lost (page 208: read Holland's Introduction.)

​

Week Four: Richard II. (page 958: read Dolan's Introduction).

End of Week Four: Exam 2. Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these two plays and the introductions from the textbook. 130 points.

​

Week Five: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (page 249: read McDonald's introduction).

​

Week Six: King Lear (page 1573: read the intro to the play wruitten by Orgel)

End of Week 6: Exam 3. Identify, ‘translate’ and write short answer responses on selected passages from these two plays and the introductions for these two plays. 130 points. In class.

Total : 390 + 10 Attendance. = 400.