Students

ENGL202 – Twentieth-Century Drama in Context

2018 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Paul Sheehan
Contact via paul.sheehan@mq.edu.au
W6A 622
Tues 11-12; Wed 12-1; or by appointment
Tutor
James Mackenzie
Contact via Email
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ENGL120
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The unit explores significant drama texts from the late-nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in their social, philosophical and theatrical contexts, with specific focus on the relations between ideological factors and dramatic themes and forms. Topics include: sexual politics; obscenity; the desire for utopia; the instability of identity; theatrical space and form; the nature of social justice; the catastrophe of history; relationships between language and power; experiments in dramatic structure; and aspects of staging and performance. Playtexts studied are selected from works by Ibsen, O'Neill, Brecht, Pirandello, Genet, Beckett, Stoppard and Kane.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Tutorial participation 20% No Weekly
Essay 30% No 2 September
Examination 50% No Exam period

Tutorial participation

Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%

Tutorial attendance is compulsory. Students are expected to have read the week’s text, and to come with notes – remarks or queries – that will enable them to participate in the discussion. Failure to attend at least 10 of the 12 tutorials, without supporting documentation (e.g. medical or counsellor’s certificate), will result in zero marks for this assessment task. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Essay

Due: 2 September
Weighting: 30%

Each student must write a 1,500-word essay discussing what they see as the key features of modern drama, with reference to one play (from weeks 2-5), i.e., either A Doll's House, Woyzeck, Playboy of the Western World or R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots).

Students are expected to consult secondary sources in the drafting of their essays. This should involve at least three critical / historical texts dealing with the nature and make-up of modern drama, and one or more studies of the playwright / play in question. The bibliography is not an exhaustive list of all the relevant material; the library catalogue contains a range of other useful works that might be consulted in the  preparation of the essay.    

The essay must conform to the English Department Style Guide, and be submitted by midnight on Sunday 2 September. Essays more than 10% over- or under-length will attract a penalty of at least 10% (the word-length includes notes and references, but not works cited / bibliography).


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Examination

Due: Exam period
Weighting: 50%

The examination will be three hours, plus ten minutes reading time, and will consist of three questions. The first question is a ‘context question’ in which students will be given a number of passages from plays and asked to identify most of them, and write about their relevance in their context to the concerns of the work, and how they typify its style. Questions two and three are essay questions, drawing on knowledge gained of modern drama and its context in general, and more detailed aspects of specific plays studied in  the unit. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Delivery and Resources

This unit is offered internally. Its mode of delivery is supported with an iLearn webpage. Lectures will be recorded weekly and posted on the iLearn site. Guided questions to assist you with your weekly readings are provided in the unit handbook, which is uploaded to the iLearn page.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Essay
  • Examination

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Essay

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Essay
  • Examination

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Essay
  • Examination

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre
  • To develop analytical skills to be able to grasp technical and other developments in twentieth-century theatre practice
  • To acquire a knowledge of historical and contemporary debates in order to analyse representative plays from the twentieth-century
  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race
  • To develop research skills in order foster comparative study of twentieth-century drama
  • To understand the theoretical underpinnings of political, philosophical and poetic uses of theatre

Assessment tasks

  • Essay
  • Examination

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • To understand the factors involved in establishing a context of late nineteenth and twentieth century theatre

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Essay
  • Examination

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • To understand different theoretical positions concerning culture, gender, identity, class, ethics and race