Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The study of selected dramatic works written in English prior to the Reformation. May be organized by author, genre, or critical approach. Does not include Shakespeare. Reserved for English honors, major, joint major and minor students. Students with credit for ENGL 407 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

COURSE DETAILS:

“What was Clytemnestra to them?”: Early Modern Revenge and its Classical Background

We will study three excellent Elizabethan / Jacobean plays in which vengeance or revenge has a key role. Beyond the idea that revenge plays require a wronged protagonist, as well as impediments to justice, these plays raised important ethical questions about vengeance, retribution, justice, violence, and forgiveness. In order to appreciate early modern revenge drama, we will begin at the “beginning”, namely with Aeschylus’ Oresteia. The Oresteia, and Macbeth, will be our background material, used to situate the tradition. We will then turn to three great Early Modern plays: The Spanish Tragedy, The Revenger's Tragedy, and The Duchess of Malfi. As we are starting with the first great Elizabethan revenge play (The Spanish Tragedy), we will see just how much the genre changes and develops, until it reaches its magnificent dissolution in The Duchess of Malfi. 

We will pose a number of questions about revenge and the revenge tragedy genre: why did the archaic or classical idea of noble anger motivating revenge die out? Because we are less violent now, or because revenge itself became linked to lawlessness and thus suspect? Why is the idea of centralized legality – in the form of the state, Church or monarchy – challenged so repeatedly in this genre? Because the state, Church or monarchy was corrupt? How can cycles of revenge, and the reactive motives that spur it on, be stopped? What is the connection between rage and revenge? Above all else, we will ask: can revenge and justice even be prised apart? 

--We will screen a film or two.
--You must use the Hugh Lloyd-Jones translation of The Oresteia.
--Feel free to read any of these plays before the semester begins, though this is not necessary.
--You may use other editions of the Early Modern plays, in a pinch, but keep in mind that these paperback editions were chosen for their excellence and I recommend that you use them. 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

The goal is to grasp the nuances -- literary and philosophical -- of these plays, as well as to become familiar with important discussions about revenge, vengeance and justice. No philosophical or theatre history background is presupposed. Do not be intimidated by these texts, either content-wise or in terms of language. They are readable and fascinating. And, at times, even hauntingly beautiful. 

The course is a W (writing) course. You will be required to write two academic essays -- one due at mid term and one due at the end of the semester -- using several secondary sources for each and marshalling evidence carefully. Prior to writing each of these, you will submit a thesis and outline which I will read and you will revise.

I will discuss the requirements in detail when we meet.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: