English 312. Comedy

Course Description. English 312,  Comedy, is a general studies course that covers comic genres, theories, and techniques from ancient Greek comedy to recent works.

In this section, we will focus primarily upon drama and film as we seek answers to several questions.  Keep these questions in mind as you read/watch each of the works assigned for the course.

1. What are the main features of comedy?  Which features have remained constant since the earliest dramatic productions?  Which features have changed over time?
2. What did writers of comedy in different times and places think about their craft?
3. What techniques can be used to create a successful comedy?
4. What role does audience play in the construction of a comedy?
5. What makes people laugh?  What makes something funny?

• Read and analyze rhetorically (primary sources) comedy from Classical through modern times
• Understand the cultural contexts within which literature arises
• Synthesize their analyses verbally and in writing through class discussion, groupwork, presentations, and written examinations, critical analyses, and papers.
• Practice library and internet research skills, consulting secondary sources and formulating results into classroom presentations
• Review ethical use of information through plagiarism & citation workshops

All texts for this course are available at Campus Book and Supply, which is located at 46 Martha L. Collins Blvd, Cold Spring.  You may use other editions of the works if you desire, except those we are reading in translation (marked with *).  If you use other editions, however, be sure to get one with good notes.

*Aristophanes, Lysistrata. Tr. Douglass Parker.  New York:  Penguin, 1970.

Shakespeare, Four Great Comedies.  New York:  Penguin Signet, 1998, of which we will read the following:

The Taming of the Shrew
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Twelfth Night

*Moliere, Tartuffe and Other Plays.  Tr. Donald Frame.  New York:  Penguin Signet, 1967.

Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest. Ontario, Canada:  Dover Thrift, 1990.

*Gogol, The Inspector General. Ontario, Canada:  Dover Thrift, 1961.

Strategies for Success

1. Read the materials assigned on the schedule.  I do not discourage the use of supplementary aids to understanding the texts we will be reading, such as Cliff Notes or Monarch Notes, but these will not substitute for reading the materials on the schedule. Remember that such a study guide is only one of many possible interpretations, and that any interpretation  must be supported with evidence.  Also, because I tend to teach by asking questions and generating discussion,  I will rarely spend time in class on simple plot summaries.
2. Take good notes.  Don't rely on your memory.  By the time we've covered several works, your earlier reading will begin to fade in memory.
3. Pay particular attention to the context and significance of works and quotations.  In every case, we will talk about what a work tells us about the culture in which it was produced.  Two-thirds of the points for test questions dealing with quotations are based upon your ability to discuss the context and significance of quotations.
4. Come to class, be on time, and don't leave early.  Summer courses in particular will test your stamina and commitment.  Missing one class is equivalent to missing two days during a regular semester.  I have structured in-class writings, quizzes, and short assignments such that you will usually write between one and three times during each class session.
5. Take advantage of opportunities to earn extra credit.  You may make up as many as 20 points during the term by doing extra credit. I will distribute a list of possible extra credit assignments later in the term.

Late Work All work is due at the beginning of class on the date posted on the course schedule. Also, you are expected to have read assigned materials before coming to class on the date a work will be discussed. If you are unable to attend class on a particular date, you are responsible for getting class notes from another student. I will distribute a voluntary student contact sheet to help you contact one another should it be necessary.

Attendance. Although I do not take attendance, daily in-class writing and frequent in-class assignments and quizzes make attendance mandatory (see In-class Writing and Quizzes component below).

Cheating & Plagiarism.  All work submitted must be written exclusively for this course. The use of sources (ideas, quotations, and paraphrases) must be properly documented. Please see me if you have any questions about your use of sources. The use, without citation, of anyone else's actual or paraphrased words will result automatically in a failing grade in this course whether the plagiarism occurs on a regular or an extra credit assignment. Cheating on any exam will also result in failure in the course.

Grading. Grades will be calculated as follows:
 

In-class writing	20%
Short assignments (in-class and assigned)	20%
Quizzes	20%
Midterm	20%
Final	20%
Total	100%

Course components.

Study Questions. I will post study questions on the class website in advance of many reading assignments for the class. These study questions are intended to help you think about the passages you read and to prepare for exams. You need not turn in formal answers to these questions, but you are encouraged to respond to them on your own.

In-class writing. At some point during most class sessions, I will ask you to respond in writing to a question pertaining to the reading assigned for that day. These responses help us to focus collectively on the material at hand and provide me with important insight into your needs as a class. Although these responses are not graded for content, they must attempt to address the question posed and demonstrate engagement with the assigned reading (that is, off-topic or contentless responses will not count). I will keep all of your responses in my files and will return them to you at the end of the semester. Your grade on in-class writing will be assigned based upon the number of appropriate responses you turned in. In-class writing assignments are collected immediately and cannot be made up, even the same day.

Quizzes.  I will give several short unannounced quizzes on reading during the semester.  These quizzes cannot be made up or turned in late.

Short Assignments. At several points during the semester, I will ask you to complete a short assignment either inside or outside of class. These assignments will be due in writing at the class meeting following their assignment and cannot be made up.

Exams. Detailed information about exact point breakdowns for in-class exam grading will be provided later in the term. Following are general descriptions of exam formats.

Midterm. The midterm will consist of identifications of terms, characters, and quotations from the materials assigned during the portion of the course indicated on the class schedule and an essay on an assigned topic. Midterm responses must be written on the materials we study in this course. Exact point breakdowns will be provided later in the term; however, you are expected to be able to explain both the context of quotations within the work as well as the quotation's significance to the historical period being studied. Be sure to bring a blue book for all exams.

Final Exam. The final exam follow the same format as the midterm, but will cover materials assigned during the final half of the course.  Be sure to bring a blue book for all exams.

Course Schedule

Roxanne Kent-Drury