AJ15064 American Drama after 1945

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 10:50–12:25 G31
Prerequisites (in Czech)
AJ01002 Practical English II
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course focuses on American drama written from 1945 to 2000. It presents an overview of the main dramatic texts of the era. It deals with classical authors as well as with minority authors. The list of covered authors includes: A. Miller, T. Williams, E. Albee, D. Mamet, S. Shepard, L. Hansberry, A. Baraka, A. Wilson and others. Participants will get a chance to study the selected texts carefully and critically and confront their views in the class. Screenings of film versions will also be a part of the course. This year's focus will be on Miller, Albee, Williams and the idea of the "American Dream".
Syllabus
  • Week 1 (19 February): Introduction; Week 2 (26 February): Arthur Miller I - All My Sons; Week 3 (5 March): Arthur Miller II - The Crucible; Week 4 (12 March): Arthur Miller III & David Mamet I - Death of a Salesman, Glengarry Glenn Ross; Week 5 (19 March): No class; Week 6 (26 March): Tennessee Williams I - A Streetcar Named Desire; Week 7 (2 April): T. Williams II & E. Albee I - 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, The Zoo Story; Week 8 (9 April): Edward Albee II - Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; Week 9 (16 April): David Mamet II - American Buffalo Week 10 (23/4): Sam Shepard - Chicago, Red Cross; Week 11 (30 April): Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka - A Raisin in the Sun, The Dutchman; Week 12 (7 May): August Wilson - Fences; Week 13 (14 May): Conclusion and Leftovers
Literature
  • BIGSBY, C. W. E. A critical introduction to twentieth-century American drama. Vol. 2, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press, 1982, viii, 355. ISBN 0-521-25811-1. info
  • BIGSBY, C. W. E. A critical introduction to twentieth-century American drama. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press, 1985, ix, 485. ISBN 0521278961. info
  • BIGSBY, C. W. E. Modern American drama, 1945-2000. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000, xii, 453. ISBN 0521794102. info
  • ARONSON, Arnold. American avant-garde theatre : a history. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2000, xiv, 242. ISBN 9780415241397. info
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Class Participation: 20%.
5 Reading Journals (1-2 pages): 20%.
Final Essay (5-7 pages): 60%.
At least 60% must be reached in EACH requirement.

(Credit only (zápočet): at least 60% for participation, 60% for reading journals)
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2019, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2014/AJ15064