A) Old English Literature, B) Medieval Literature, C) 16th Century, D) 17th Century, E) 18th Century, f) English Romantic Period, G) Victorian Period, H) 20th Century, I) Drama, J) Novel, K) Poetry, L) Non-fiction, M) American Literature, N) A Literary Problem, O) Literature of the Renaissance, R) Race and Racial Theories. The precise topics and methods of each section vary. Barring duplication of subject, may be repeated for credit. For details, see the course descriptions available in the English department.
Section Comments: Title: Women Behaving Badly: Early Drama and Women; Pre-1800 requirement, English Studies; Diversity requirement, English Studies & English Teaching; Capstone requirement, English Studies
Registration Approval Required. Contact Instructor or Academic Department for permission then register through Webcat.
Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Classes not allowed in section: Freshman, Sophomore
Attributes: Writing Intensive Course
Additional Course Details:
Women who behave badly in early drama take murderous revenge on their betrayers; manipulate their husbands; defy the wishes of their families; and deceive their communities. They also strive to choose their own paths in life, by whatever means they can, sometimes cutting truly frightening figures, sometimes showing admirable strength and fortitude.
Reading and viewing a variety of tragedies and comedies, including Euripides's Medea, Shakespeare's Macbeth, Aristophanes's Lysistrata and Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, we will scrutinize these women's actions and place them in their historical and social contexts. By examining women's roles in Ancient Greece, Roman Italy, and Renaissance and Restoration England, we will gain a sense of how these female characters' behaviors on the stage aligned with expectations in society at the time. What did it mean to society and to audiences of drama for a woman to choose her own marriage partner, or for her to reject the duties of a wife and daughter? And how do these women's dramatic actions help us understand our own actions more fully?
This course fulfills the pre-1800 requirement and the Capstone requirements for the Literary Studies major; it fulfills the Capstone requirement for English Teaching.
