Sense and Sensibility

Dear all,

Here is the link to Jane Austen´s masterpiece "Sense and Sensibility"

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21839/21839-h/21839-h.htm

We will discuss it on the week of June 22.

See you soon,

Claudia

Dear all,


Here are some ideas that might help you decide what topic to choose for your presentations, but you may very well decide to focus on other issues that are not mentioned in the examples below..


About Beowulf:


1. Discuss the heroic character of Beowulf.

2. Paganism versus Christianity: references to the bible in Beowulf.

3. The importance of the anglo-saxon epic poem for English Literature



About Chaucer:


1. Chaucer has been called the father of English poetry, why?

2. Discuss the poem "Truth". In your opinion, what makes it so contemporary?


3. Discuss the importance of "The Canterbury Tales" in the example of the "The Wife of Bath". Telling the story of laymen and their free will seems to have been an issue of major concern for Chaucer. Why?



About E. Spenser:


1. The Faery Queene: an allegorical poem in favour of Queen Elizabeth.

2. The introductory letter sent to Sir Walter Raleigh: its strategic importance.




About Shakespeare:


1. The Merchant of Venice: racism? Otherness? other issues?

2. The Tempest: colonialism, freedom, etc.



Instructions:

1. The presentation should last between 7 and 10 minutes. It should include an introduction and a clear outline of what you will present. You may use pictures, videos, etc.

2. Include examples and refer to how you would use the work you will present in an English class.

3. Include contextual facts where appropriate, refer to other authors if you deem it necessary.

The marking criteria will be presented to you on Wednesday.
See you then,
Claudia

The Tempest

Hi all,

Please watch the following films:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XZ091CEgNU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xYzRsQBn_M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWa_uhtj0Fk&feature=related


How is Prospero described?
What is his relationship with Ariel? and Caliban? Is it the same? What expressions does Prospero use to refer to each of them?
Where does the action take place?
What happens when the ship arrives to the enchanted island?
Who helps Prospero with his magic?
How is Caliban described when he´s first seen by Trinculo? What words does Trinculo use?
How does the story end?

Themes:
Discuss the opposition between
a. imprisonment and freedom
b. reconciliation and forgiveness
c. illusion and magic

Also,
d. transformation, change
e. appearance versus reality
f. order and disorder
g. colonialism

See you soon,
Claudia

Shakespeare

Dear all,

As promised, you´ll find below the links to the plays "The Merchant of Venice" and "The Tempest" by W. Shakespeare.

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext97/1ws1810.txt

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext97/1ws4110.txt


For our discussion of "The Marchant of Venice" on Wednesday at 20.00, you´ll need to finish watching the film (and .... ideally...read the play).

After the discussion, you´ll have to write a film review, deadline Friday 15, at midnight. But, before writing your reviews, you are asked to write an outline of the issues you will touch upon and the order in which you´ll develop them.

Here is some information on how to write your reviews. Follow the steps suggested in the following webpage, they are very clear. Your review should be about 600 words long.

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/englishresource/filmreview.html

...and you will find the marking criteria I will use in the following link (same as last year).

http://www.siue.edu/~deder/grrub.html
http://www.siue.edu/~deder/grstand.html

Issues you may decide to focus on:

1. Opposition between characters like Shylock and Antonio (or any other).

2. The place of "otherness" in the film/the play.

3. What do the caskets represent? How are the Prince of Marocco and the Prince of Aragon, who fail to choose the right casket, depicted?

4. Drama, comedy, tragedy? What kind of play is this? What do you think?

5. Description of any particular character, values they represent, how, etc.

Finally, read "The Tempest" for Friday 15.

Good luck!!
Claudia

Dear all,

Please take a look at the letter sent by Spenser to Raleigh and discuss:

1. Why did Spenser choose to write about King Arthur in his Faery Queene?
2. Why is it called an allegory?
3. What are the characteristics that he is trying to emphasise through his different characters?
4. Why do you think he writes the letter to explain his intentions?

See you soon,
Claudia

Dear all,

Please discuss the following quotation, do you feel it represents your feelings after reading "The Wife of Bath"? If so, how?


"Chaucer´s text is complex and layered, his position is impossible to pin down, his tone inscrutably ironic. Master of indirection, he refuses to nail his colours to the mast in a gesture that fuses complicity with critique. There is no easy way to align ideological sympathies when medieval men write about women" Poplawski, P. et al., 2008

Claudia

Dear all,

First, remember to write a 150 word long post with the title "What women love most" as a reflection of your reading of "The Wife of Bath" by Chaucer, our discussion in class and your own experience. Deadline Wednesday 29.

As promised, you´ll find below a link to the letter that Edmund Spenser wrote to Sir Walter Raleigh as an explanation of his intention in writing The Faerie Queene. Read the letter for next class.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15272/15272-h/15272-h.htm#letter

See you next week,
Claudia