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LITR 4370 Tragedy lecture notes |
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text-books to class
sit down for starters
On screen, set up three tabs: homepage, homepage, and Model Assignments
1. What do we know or think when we say "tragic" or "tragedy?" How do we use the words "tragic" or "tragedy" in everyday speech?
"everybody dies"
tragedy as contrary to expectations, desires
2. What do you already know about tragedy? What is the status of tragedy in schools compared to popular culture? Why is tragic drama (Greek or Shakespearean) taught in secondary schools, esp. in Advanced Placement and College Prep?
greatest genre, but not most popular
emphasize student leadership; students like it for a number of good reasons, and it's good training since most of us will do some kind of teaching or training someday
with 20 students, tasks get spread around, 20 different students to meet, pleasure of diverse personalities
special situation of 5-student class
students can get tired of doing one presentation after another, and students can get tired of each other
presentations--preview discouragement of PowerPoint
special topics
assignments arranged to maximize learning on 2 fronts
knowledge of genre, tragedy, western civilization
writing instruction
Syllabus
course centered around website, not on Blackboard
URL address, send link by email by tonight
contact information
attendance
office hours
websites
daily windows
don't require written answers
ideally, pre-read, or check on them while reading day's assignment
practically, discussion-leaders use
instructor also uses--
what's interesting or unique about this play
what's consistent from one play to the next
keep coming to class, or at least communicate if you miss more than one
keep doing your reading
get through class in fair shape and learn quite a bit about literature at its greatest and most basic
trust me as well as you can; I tend to think as well of people as I can and give benefit of the doubt
tragedy's big question: fate or free will
Midterm
1. genres--learn about literature generally, forms and appeals
2. tragedy
3. special topic
What already know about Tragedy? What associations? How do you know what you know about word or genre? (part of overall learning experience)
overwhelmed, but single assertion
tragedy as greatest genre, greatness not contained in just one feature, but many things come together
tragedy as opportunity to keep learning
not just about tragedy but all literature, how it works
Preview Agamemnon
resist temptation to avoid intro
pronounce names
show annotations for IDs and themes, terms
acknowledge play not meant to be read (audience like movies today, but read since Aristotle's time)
video different translation
4.30 chorus
18.55 Clytaemnestra enters
question about Dionysian / Apolline:
How reflected in 2016 presidential race?
Bacchae Presentation One (lines 1-72): Bacchae presentation: instructor
Bacchus as alt-name for Dionysus
Bacchae refers to his worshippers
video: Prologue
video: Omniprop
tragic sense of life
What already know about Tragedy? What associations? How do you know what you know about word or genre? (part of overall learning experience)
