Antics
of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Antics
of the Reduced Shakespeare Company
Comedy
Dr. Richard Regan
Spring 2003
Office hours: Mon 1:30-3, Wed 1-4, Thurs 1:30-3, and by appointment.
Texts: for editions of the works below, see the print syllabus
Three major papers, 7-10 pp. These may be rewritten after a conference. Late papers may be reduced in grade.
Reaction papers, 3-4 pp. Generally one a week, based on classroom discussion and video, and closely related to comic theory (handouts). These will be graded √+, √, √- and can raise or lower your average. Late papers may be reduced in grade.
Attendance: each cut lowers your average 1 point. Documented excuses only (Deans' office, Health Service, faculty advisor). Excessive absences may result in a failing grade.
Students with documented learning disabilities, please see me. Alternative methods of testing and evaluation are available.
Schedule (* indicates film/tape also)
January 14 - Theories of humor; working definition of comedy, parody/satire
January 21 - Origins of comedy. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*
Roman Comedy and farce. Read: "Introduction" (Corrigan), Bergson, Freud, Bentley.
History, Lyrics and Sound Files
January 28 - Candide. Types of comedy. Comic characters. Origins of Camp.
Read: Frye, Sontag.
PAPER TOPIC.
Resources for the Study of Candide
Introduction: The Best of All Possible Worlds?
February 4
- The Graduate*
Romantic (Shakespearian) Comedy. Read: Sypher.
February 11 - The Miser* Moliere and the comedy
of the
mechanical.Read: Lanson, Potts.
PAPER DUE
February 18 - Man and Superman. On Approval.* Comedy of Manners. Comic Closure.
Read: Santayana, Lehman, Park.
Bernard Shaw: A Brief Biography
G.B.S.: The Life of George Bernard Shaw
February 25 - Tom Jones*
(This IS a comedy course.)
March 4 - Absurdist and surrealist comedy. Screwball comedy. The Pythons and the Marxes.
Read: Kerr, Watts, Grotjahn.
PAPER TOPIC.
Why a Duck? (Marx Brothers page)
for Screwball Comedy:
An essay from Hampshire College
from the Modern Times film site
(includes audio files and film stills)
SPRING HOLIDAYS
March 18 - Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead* Read: Duprey.
March 25 - Brave New World* Utopia and dystopia. Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb* Read: Corrigan.
PAPER DUE
April 1 - Catch-22. Waiting for Godot. Read: Cohn
"Deadly Unconscious Logics in Joseph Heller's Catch-22"
Samuel Beckett Resources and Links
"BECKETT'S GODOT: 'A bundle of broken mirrors'"
April 8 - Fargo* Read: Suzanne Langer, "Feeling and Form."
April 22 - Conclusion. FINAL PAPER DUE (FOR REWRITE)
April 15 - Sense and Sensibility*
