ENG 2103.01, Introduction to Poetry and Drama

Spring 2005, TR 9:30-11:00 (W303)

Office Hours: MW 4:00-5:00, TR 8:45-9:30, 1:30-2:30, and by appointment

Textbooks

Henley, Crimes of the Heart

Hunter, Booth, and Mays, The Norton Introduction to Poetry, 8^th edition

Synge, Yeats, and O’Casey, The Playboy of the Western World and Two Other Irish Plays

Schedule

(Note assigned reading for each date.)

Jan. 11 - Introduction to Poetry

13 - Reading/Writing About Poetry (Hunter and others, pp. 1-25, A3-A13)

18 - Reading/Writing About Poetry, continued)

20 - Tone (Hunter and others, pp. 26-58)

25 - Speaker (Hunter and others, pp. 59-84)

27 - Situation and Setting (Hunter and others, pp. 85-122)

Feb. 1 - Situation and Setting

3 - Precision and Ambiguity (Hunter and others, pp. 123-146)

8 - Imagery (Hunter and others, pp. 147-158)

10 - Imagery; PARAPHRASE DUE

15 - Metaphor (Hunter and others, pp. 159-173)

17 - Metaphor

22 - Symbol (Hunter and others, pp. 174-189)

24 - EXAMINATION (For a study guide for this examination, click here.)

Mar. 1 - Sound (Hunter and others, pp. 190-219

3 - Internal Structure (Hunter and others, pp. 223-246)

8 - External Structure (Hunter and others, pp.250-278)

10 - Library Session with Robin Payne (Library 119); PARAPHRASE DUE

15-17 - SPRING BREAK

22 - Whole Poem (Hunter and others, pp. 279-289)

24 - Literary Tradition (Hunter and others, pp. 337-372)

31 - Explication

Apr. 5 - Introduction to Drama; The Countess Cathleen (Synge and others, pp.17-63)

7 - The Playboy of the Western World (Synge and others, pp. 65-134)

12 - The Playboy, continued; BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

14 - Cock-a-doodle Dandy (Synge and others, pp. 135-224)

19 - Crimes of the Heart (whole play)

21 - Crimes of the Heart; EXPLICATION DUE

May 2 - EXAMINATION (8:00-10:00 a.m.!) (For a study guide for this examination, click here.)

Requirements

1. Examinations (24 February, 2 May). These will involve both objective and essay components. The first examination will include a paraphrase, and the second will include an explication. Each exam counts one-seventh of your final grade.

2. Quizzes. On days that a reading assignment is due, you may be given a multiple-choice quiz. The quiz will be given at the beginning of the class period before the material has been discussed. If you come to a class meeting after a quiz has been given, you will not be allowed to take it, nor will a quiz be given early. Quizzes from students who leave class early will not be graded. Quizzes may not be made up under any circumstances, but I will use only your twelve best quiz grades (out of at least fifteen) when computing your quiz average, which will comprise one-seventh of your final grade..

3. Attendance. University attendance policy as defined in the Student Handbook applies to this class. That policy specifies that missing more than six classes may result in a failing grade for the course. To moderate this policy somewhat, lack of class attendance will result in these consequences: more than nine unexcused absences (those not verified as due to illness, serious family emergency, university business, or inclement weather [commuter students only]) will result in the loss of one letter from your final average; more than twelve unexcused absences will result in the loss of two letters. This applies to all students, regardless of performance on other course requirements. A record of attendance will be maintained, but you should keep up with your own absences and provide excuses immediately upon return to class. If you come to class late, be sure that you have been counted in attendance. Note that leaving class early counts as an absence. If you have a work schedule that makes it necessary to miss class, you should take the course at another time, since employment-related absences are not excused.

4. Papers. Detailed instructions for these projects will be distributed well in advance of the dates when they are due.

a. Two paraphrases (due on 10 February and 10 March [c. two typewritten pages each] - both will comprise one-seventh of your final grade) [For further information about the first paraphrase, click here.] [For further information on the second paraphrase, click here.]

b. One explication (due on 21 April - worth one-seventh of your final grade) [For further information on this explication, click here];

c. One annotated bibliography (due on 12 April [five items, each with a one-paragraph annotation] - one-seventh of your final grade). [For further information on this assignment, click here.]

4. Make-Up Work. Examinations may be made up only with a verified, justifiable excuse (illness, serious family emergency, university business, inclement weather [commuter students only]). And they must be made up within a week of your return to class at sometime during my scheduled office hours. You are responsible for initiating the process of making up an examination. All make-up exams will consist completely of essay questions. The same policy applies to the in-class explication. Out-of-class assignments will be considered late if turned in after the beginning of the class period on which they are due. They may be submitted at the loss of one letter for up to a week after the due date. Quizzes may not be made up under any circumstances.

5. Extra-Credit Opportunity. Three points will be added to your final average if you attend either a poetry reading or performance of a play. You must present a one-paragraph description of the reading or performance within a week after your attending it. This is the only extra-credit work for the class. Note that the ASU Theatre will be performing Crimes of the Heart on 25-26 February and 1-2 March.

6. Inclement Weather Policy. This class will meet unless the university closes. Students should exercise common sense about getting to class. Absences due to inclement weather (commuter students only) will be counted as excused.

7. Special Needs. If you have special needs as specified by the Office of Disability Services, see me as soon as possible so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

8. Grading Scale. Numerical averages (rounded off to the nearest tenth) will produce the following letter grades on midterm and final reports: 89.5-100 = A; 79.5-89.4 = B; 69.5-79.4 = C; 55.0-69.4 = D; below 55.0 = F. Should you have a question about the accuracy of a grade on an examination or quiz, you must bring it to my attention within a week after the item is returned to you. Otherwise, the grade–even if in error–will not be changed. Letter grades on papers will be converted to numbers as follows: A = 95, A- = 92, B+ = 88, etc.