HISTORY OF BRITISH THEATRE

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

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Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

LC180

Academic Year of enrolment:

2018

Year of supply:

2020/2021

Type of Course:

Related/Supplementary

Degree:

Course of 1st Cycle Degree in HUMANITIES

Disciplinary Sector:

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

SOCCIO Anna Enrichetta

Cycle:

Second semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Individual study hours:

108

Prerequisites:

A good knowledge (B1-B2) of the English language is required in order to be able to read and appreciate the text in English.

Objectives

More than four hundred years after his death, William Shakespeare remains the central author of the English-speaking world, the most quoted poet and the most regularly produced playwright. In the degree course in “Linguaggi della musica, dello spettacolo e dei media”, this course unit aims at presenting and discussing Shakespeare’s plays with greater understanding and enjoyment while providing students with the basic historical context needed to approach Shakespeare's works. Emphasis will be placed throughout on looking attentively at some important topics like power and leadership, although other topics such as economy, law, and the representation of women will be discussed as well.
Abilities
By the end of this course, students will have developed a strong understanding of Shakespeare’s works—their style, their linguistic accomplishments, their hallmarks—as well as a working knowledge of the Elizabethan Period in which he wrote.
Self-assessment
Students will acquire sufficient skills to give critical response to Shakespeare’s writing.
Communicative skills
Students will be able to discuss the plays, their contexts and topics, as well as Shakespeare’s poetic and dramatic writing.

Contents

Title: "Shakespeare and Power: forms and Language" (6 credits). This course unit is focussed on the close reading of three plays whose main are topics are power and leadership. Hamlet is a tragedy that is linked to modernity: its hero faces doubt and resistance to reality by refusing the codes of the
past. In Julius Caesar, ambition and power are mixed up with patriotism and honour to represent the crisis of man and the values of the past. And finally, Henry V presents a positive hero who is able to lead an entire nation in an almost impossible task, giving a unique model for teaching leadership in business administration and management courses.

Extended Syllabus

William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the greatest dramatist —even the greatest writer— of all time. His impact on Western culture and language is unmistakable, but his works have also been continuously read and performed around the world, illustrating his global significance. This course is focussed on the close reading of three plays whose main are topics are power and leadership. Hamlet is a tragedy that is linked to modernity: its hero faces doubt and resistance to reality by refusing the codes of the past. In Julius Caesar, ambition and power are mixed up with patriotism and honour to represent the crisis of man and the institutions of the past. And finally, Henry V presents a positive hero who is able to lead an entire nation in an almost impossible task, giving a unique model for teaching leadership in business administration and management courses.
Primary sources:
W. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Marsilio, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Garzanti, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Henry V, Garzanti, English-Italian text
Secondary sources:
M. Stanco (a cura di), La letteratura inglese dall'Umanesimo al
Rinascimento, Carocci, 2016
Bill Bryson, Il mondo è teatro, Tea, 2008.
Further study materials for each play will be given to students during the course.

Recommended Bibliography

Primary sources:
W. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Marsilio, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Garzanti, English-Italian text
W. Shakespeare, Henry V, Garzanti, English-Italian text
Secondary sources:
M. Stanco (a cura di), La letteratura inglese dall'Umanesimo al Rinascimento, Carocci, 2016
Bill Bryson, Il mondo è teatro, Tea, 2008.
Further study materials for each play will be given to students during the course.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, guided reading of texts and multimedia/internet resources.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

The final assessment consists of an oral exam on the entire syllabus. The aim is to assess students’ skills and in particular, an understanding of the
issues discussed during the course, an appropriate knowledge of the bibliography in the course programme, a correct command of the specific language as well as critical and methodological abilities will be evaluated. The grading scale goes from 1 to 30 with honours (cum laude): 1-17 fail, 18-21 sufficient, 22-24 fair, 25-27 good, 28-29 very good, 30-30 with honours (cum laude) excellent.

Contacts/More Information

Non-attending students should contact Prof. Soccio before taking the exam.

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree

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