| Unit name | Drama Through the Ages |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ENGL10057 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Gournet |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one | |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Description
This unit will introduce students to a variety of theatrical works, from an exploration of the Medieval Mystery Plays and Mankind to a discussion of present-day plays. We will focus predominantly on British work, through the influence of world drama – especially European and American theatre - will be explored throughout. There will be a particular focus on the development of sixteenth- and early seventeenth- century drama, just before and the birth of the public playhouse, with discussion of plays by William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Elizabeth Cary, and Aphra Behn. Works by later notable figures including Henrik Ibsen, Caryl Churchill, Debbie tucker green and Lin Manuel Miranda will also be discussed in relation to the socio-political contexts in which they were written and – equally importantly – staged. These playtexts will be read and analysed alongside performance records and other documentation. There will be opportunities to consider issues such as performance circumstances, the practicalities of staging, and different methods of adapting sources (including historical events) for theatrical presentation.
Aims:
This unit aims to develop students’ knowledge of theatre and performance contexts over a wide period, and to introduce some of the methodological issues surrounding theatrical historiography. A range of writers and plays, and documentary evidence relevant to them, will be introduced; and there will be opportunities to consider performance questions through practical workshops, as well as by reading a range of appropriate materials. The unit aims to facilitate students’ ongoing appreciation of the chronology and historical development of literature in English.
Successful students will be able to:
The unit will normally be taught in 1 x 3-hour seminar per week for 10 weeks, each of which will utilise a range of teaching methods including lectures by the tutor(s), formal and informal presentations by students, and small group discussion.
1 x 2000 word essay (50%) [ILOs 1-3]
1 x timed coursework with particular focus on critical commentary (50%) [ILOs 1-3]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ENGL10057).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
