Description and Objectives:

Who are we when we laugh? Laughter is a diffusive act. It is infectious. It deflates tensions. And yet, what makes us laugh differs with each individual. Western culture historically divided the dramatic genres into two groups (tragedy and comedy) and considered tragedy the higher of the two. Perhaps this placement was due to subject matter because tragedy tended to concern kings and comedy concerned commoners. Perhaps it was due to tragedy being the easier to define: people die and we are sad. Comedy is more difficult to define and apply. What is it? Can kings be “funny”? Why do we need comedy? What does it tell about us? Our focus will be on primarily British Literature. We will begin with two classical authors (Aristophanes and Plautus) who give us two types of comedy from which much of English comedy develops. Since this course is a capstone seminar, we will focus on researching these or related questions as they apply to the works we will examine. It will be best for you to choose the text that you want to be working on early in the term so that you can develop a research plan. Our objectives then will be: To understand who we are when we laugh and why we need to laugh, To attempt to answer how humor is culturally specific, To learn how to think and write critically about literary humor.

Requirements:

The assignments will be as follows:

Topic Proposal & Abstract 10%

Preliminary Draft (8-10 pages) 15%

Group Presentation 20%

Term Research Essay (20 pages): 25%

Mid-Term Exam: 15%

Class Participation: 15%

•All reading assignments are to be completed before you come to class.

• The term essay will be a research paper of 20 pages. It will have four components and we need to begin this project early. The first component is a topic proposal due at the end of January. This topic proposal with say what text you will be working with and what you hope to find out. It should be no more than two lines emailed to me. The second component will be a 250-word abstract due the next week. The third component will be a Preliminary Draft due prior to mid term. The final draft will be due on the last day of class. One class day early in the term will be devoted to doing research on one of the writers or pair of writers whom we have read this term. In all of these assignments, please do your own work and consult with me at any time that you have questions regarding the paper. Familiarize yourself with the plagiarism and cheating policy in the on-line Tiger Cub.

•If you need to change your topic after the abstract is due, you need to write me another abstract. No topic changes will be allowed after the Preliminary Draft is returned.

• Every Friday from about midterm will be Research Friday in which a group of four people takes 5 minutes each to present the state of their research. If you miss your day for presenting, you must have a university-sanctioned excuse to be rescheduled, or you will receive a zero for this assignment. More information will be forthcoming.

• Assignments are due in class on the day stipulated. As a rule, I do not like surprises in any form. Therefore, if you are planning to be unable to turn in an assignment on the day that it is due, you must ask me for an extension no later than the day before the assignment is due. Late work without prior allowance for an extension will be penalized half a letter grade per class day. For instance, a paper which would have received a B would receive a B- if a day late, and a C if two days late, etc.

• The Midterm Exam will be based upon readings, class lectures, discussions, and any additional presentations (films, transparencies, slides, etc.). It will ask you to synthesize what your understanding of the texts we have studied this term have helped you to think about. You are responsible for all material covered in class. There will be no final exam in this class.

• Class Participation I define as actively engaging in meaningful contribution to class discussion. This class works best when many of us debate the issues raised in these works. As a seminar, you are expected to talk regularly. Try to say something meaningful at each meeting. Saying nothing, but still attending every class meeting may give you no higher than a B.

• You are expected to attend class everyday. I will take attendance daily silently after the first two weeks, so even if I do not appear to be calling names, I know who is present or absent. Five unexcused absences could result in a failure due to absences. As this course is required for completion of the BA in Literature, failure to complete this class will result in your inability to graduate on time. For further information on the general attendance policy consult the on-line Tiger Cub.

• Students who need special accommodations in class should make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

• The expected grading scale will be as follows:

A 93 and above

A- 90-92

B+ 87-89

B 84-86

B- 80-83

C+ 77-79

C 74-76

C- 70-73

D 60-69

F 59 and below

Required Texts:

Adams, Douglas, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Del Ray.

Aristophanes, Lysistrata, The Acharnians, The Clouds, Alan H. Sommerstein, trans., Penguin.

Austen, Jane, Pride and Prejudice, Oxford World Classics.

Chaucer, Geoffrey, Canterbury Tales, Peter Levi, trans. Oxford.

Etherege, George, Man of Mode, New Mermaids.

Jerome, Jerome K., Three Men in a Boat and Three Men on the Bummel, Penguin.

Plautus, The Pot of Gold and Other Plays, E. F. Watling, trans., Penguin.

Shakespeare, William, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Signet.

Wodehouse, P. G., Right-Ho, Jeeves, Penguin.

Other Materials as e-texts

Schedule of Readings:

The following is a tentative schedule of readings. I reserve the right to augment the reading assignment should we require more or less time with a specific work. Therefore, you should bring your syllabus to class everyday.

M 1/9 Introduction to course

W 1/11 Aristophanes, Lysistrata

F 1/13 Aristophanes, The Acharnians

M 1/16 Martin Luther King Holiday–No Class

W 1/18 Plautus, Aulularia (The Pot of Gold)

F 1/20 Plautus, Miles Gloriosus (Swaggering Soldier)

M 1/23 Plautus, Pseudolus

W 1/25 Chaucer, Miller’s Tale

F 1/27 Chaucer, Reeve’s Tale Topic Proposals Due

M 1/30 Chaucer, Summoner’s Tale

W 2/1 Chaucer, Merchant’s Tale

F 2/3 Chaucer, Nun’s Priest’s Tale Abstracts Due

M 2/6 Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act I

W 2/8 Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act II

F 2/10 Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act III

M 2/13 Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Acts IV & V

W 2/15 Review

F 2/17 Mid-Term Exam

M 2/20 Etherege, Man of Mode, Act I Preliminary Draft

W 2/22 Etherege, Man of Mode, Acts II & III

F 2/24 Etherege, Man of Mode, Acts IV & V

M 2/27 Library Research Day

Mid Term

W 2/29 Pope, Rape of the Lock, Cantos I & II (e-text)

F 3/2 Pope, Rape of the Lock, Cantos III & IV (e-text)

M 3/5 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 1-21

W 3/7 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 30-40

F 3/9 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 41-46 Research Friday Group 1

M 3/12-F 3/16 SPRING BREAK–No Class

M 3/19 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 47-55

W 3/21 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 56-61

F 3/23 Jerome, Three Men in a Boat, Chapters 1-5 Research Friday Group 2

M 3/26 Jerome, Three Men in a Boat, Chapters 6-10

W 3/28 Jerome, Three Men in a Boat, Chapters 11-16

F 3/30 Research Friday Group 3

M 4/2 Jerome, Three Men in a Boat, Chapters 17-19

W 4/4 Wilde, Importance of Being Earnest (e-text)

F 4/6 Research Friday Group 4

M 4/9 Wodehouse, Right-Ho, Jeeves!, Chapters 1-16

W 4/11 Wodehouse, Right-Ho, Jeeves!, Chapters 17-23

F 4/13 Research Friday Group 5

M 4/16 Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Prol., Chaps 1-22

W 4/18 Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Prol., Chaps 23-35

F 4/20 Research Friday Group 6

M 4/23 Monty Python’s Flying Circus

W 4/25 French & Saunders; Blackadder Research Paper Due