BMNAN 01100A MODULE 4: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY



BMNAN 01100A Module 4: Social and Cultural HistoryThe Social and Cultural Context of Medieval TheatreThu 8.30-11.30 (with intermittent break)Lecturer: Karáth Tamás (tamas.karath@)Office hours: Wed 11.45-12.30, Thu 11.45-12.30 (Amb 133)Welcome to the workshop on medieval English theatre. The focus of the discussions will be on the social and cultural context of the medieval English stage (community production, staging, drama and devotion, staging medieval discourses). For this purpose, the first two sessions will provide you with a survey of the variety of texts, genres and performing practices in medieval England. We will look at the main themes, staging conventions, aspects of performance in this survey of liturgical plays, interludes, mysteries and moralities. The introductory classes will be followed by thematic approaches to the plays. We will discuss the interrelations of drama and stage with civic (town) organization, collective identities, religious practices and beliefs, devotion, education and many other aspects of human life. RequirementsThe course is a seminar, which requires your regular presence (you cannot miss more than 2 blocks of 3 hours), preparation of the home readings and active class participation. Everyone will have to volunteer for the moderation of one class. Your course achievement will be assessed on the basis of your contribution (20%), your seminar paper (45%) and the end-of-term ppt presentation (35%) in frames of a MA mini-conference. The parameters of the written tasks will be discussed in detail the first class. The seminar papers have to be written according to the formal and editorial standards of the MA thesis guidelines of the Department: last session will entirely be devoted to the mini-conference, at which you will have to present (individually or in pair) a research project you will have achieved by the end of this semester. The projects have to be related to medieval English theatre, and have to discuss any social or cultural aspect of this field. The deadlines of the internal phases of the project in progress (submission of project plan, submission of a tentative bibliography with a corpus of primary sources, submission of the outline of the presentation, and submission of a draft ppt) will be indicated in the calendar below.Course calendarWeekDiscussion topics and readingsDeadlines/Submissions13 FebA dramatic encounter with medieval literature: Contexts for drama and stage. A survey of the variety of texts and performing traditions in medieval England.20 FebLiturgy and drama27 FebThe concept of history – Salvation historyThe Chester Fall of Lucifer; Adam and Eve; Noah’s Flood; Abraham and IsaacThe York Fall of ManSubmission of project plan6 MarchPassion and passions: Violence on stageThe York Slaughter of the InnocentsThe York CrucifixionThe N-Town Passion Play, Part II13 MarchWomen on stageThe N-Town Mary Plays (The Trial of Mary and Joseph, The Nativity)20 MarchSocial order and travestyThe Wakefield Second Shepherd’s PlayDame SirithSubmission of tentative bibliography27 MarchPower, authority and lawThe N-Town Christ and the DoctorsThe N-Town Woman Taken in AdulteryThe Chester Last Judgement3 AprilGuest lecture TBA10 AprilDrama and repentanceThe Digby Mary Magdalene17 AprilSpring break24 AprilSpring break1 MayLabour Day8 MayThe “Other”The Croxton Play of the SacramentSubmission of draft ppt15 MayMini-conference: Presentation of research projects Submission of papersReadings for the classes(1) From the Chester Mystery Cycle ():The Fall of Lucifer ()Adam and Eve ()Noah’s Flood, lines 1-375 ()The Sacrifice of Isaac, lines 1-268 ()(2) From the N-Town Cycle ():The Trial of Mary and Joseph ()The Nativity ()Christ and the Doctors ()Passion Play II ()(3) From the Wakefield CycleThe Second Shepherd’s Play ()(4) From the York Cycle ()The Fall of Man ()The Slaughter of the Innocents ()The Crucifixion ()(5) Non-Cycle PlaysDame Sirith ()The Digby Mary Magdalene ()The Croxton Play of the Sacrament()Suggested secondary literature for discussion moderators:Beadle, Richard, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. (Faculty Library shelf-mark: 236:222 (1); 254:121)Happé, Peter. “Introduction” in English Mystery Plays: A Selection. Ed. by Peter Happé. Penguin Books, 1975.Normington, Katie. Medieval English Drama: Performance and Spectatorship. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2009Middle English plays on the web the N-Town and York plays, Dame Sirith and the Croxton Play, cf. the introductions and annotated ME texts on TEAMS (Middle English text series Online): luck for the semester! ................
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