English Literature - 20th Century Drama

Code:

LLC088

Acronym:

LID_20

Instance: 2009/2010 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Anglo-American Studies
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LA	0	Study Plan - Applied Languages: Business Relations	2	-	6	52	162
		Study Plan-Applied Languages: Translation	3	-	6	52	162
LLC	49	Joint Lauguage Plan -Englis/German	3	-	6	52	162
		Joint Language Plan - English/Spanish	3	-	6	52	162
		Joint Language Plan-Portuguese/English	3	-	6	52	162
		Single Language Plan-English	2	-	6	52	162
			3
		English Studies Plan (Teaching) With German	3	-	6	52	162
		English Studies Plan (Teaching) with Spanish	3	-	6	52	162
		English Studies Plan (Teaching) With French	3	-	6	52	162
		Joint Language Plan -English/French	3	-	6	52	162
LRI	0	Study Plan - Minor in English Studies	2	-	6	52	162
			3

Teaching language

English

Objectives

The aim of this program is to give students the opportunity to study some of the most expressive creations of British drama from the second half of the 20th century. Its main purpose is to explore the varied expressions of the extraordinary vitality that characterizes British theatre since the mid-fifties of the last century. The group of playwrights and plays included in this program offers itself as representative of some of the dominant thematic and formal trends pursued by British drama during this period, thus crossing experiences and challenges that remain as an important paradigm for today’s experience of playwriting.

Program

1. Reading drama: some discussions on the historical conventions governing the art of playwriting; the importance of the experience of theatre and performance for the understanding of drama.
2. A brief characterization of British drama in the second half of the 20th century: some considerations on the political and cultural conditions of British society during that period.
3. “Waiting for Godot” (1953/1955), by Samuel Beckett: A “dramatic” revolution in the intersection of different theatrical traditions.
4. “Look Back in Anger” (1956), by John Osborne: Social realism and anger against alienation.
5. “The Birthday Party” (1958), by Harold Pinter: Language and power games.
6. “Cloud Nine” (1979), by Caryl Churchill: History revised and the (feminist) utopia of theatre as a model for change.
7. “Attempts on Her Life” (1996), by Martin Crimp: “Theatre for a world in which theatre itself has died”.

Mandatory literature

Samuel Beckett; Waiting for Godot, Faber and Faber, 2006
John Osborne; Look Back in Anger, Faber and Faber, 2001
Harold Pinter; The Birthday Party, Faber and Faber, 1993
Martin Crimp; Attempts on Her Life, Faber and Faber , 2007
Caryl Churchill; Cloud Nine, Nick Hern Books, 2006

Complementary Bibliography

Dominic Shellard; British Theatre since the War, Yale University Press, 2000
Christopher Innes; Modern British Drama 1890-1990, Cambridge University Press, 2002
Keir Elam ; The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama, Methuen , 2002

Teaching methods and learning activities

The nature of the course will demand, especially during the first classes, that the teacher conveys a set of coordinates and problems regarded as important for the prosecution of the study. However, and given the textual basis of the course, it will be indispensable to rely on the regular and active participation of students, both orally and through written assignments, which will find its necessary expression in the evaluation.

keywords

Humanities > Arts > Performing arts
Humanities > Literature > European literature > Germanic literature > English literature

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
Elaboração de relatório de leitura ou trabalho de investigação	Trabalho escrito	31,00		2010-02-28
Preparação de exame	Exame	73,00		2010-02-28
Exame escrito	Exame	2,00		2010-02-28
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance of 75% of classes, except for those cases legally free of this obligation.

Calculation formula of final grade

Reading reports and research work - 30%; final examination - 70%.
The Final examination will be marked according to a 0-20 scale, as traditionally practised in higher education in Portugal.
During tutorial classes, students will have to do different types of tasks, among which: to prepare reading reports; to take a short written presentation; and to give an oral presentation.
Erasmus students with difficulties in attending the final examinations will be given the opportunity to choose the modality of "avaliação distribuída sem exame final", as described in article 4 of the new "Normas de avaliação".

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

See “Normas de avaliação” (18 July 2007).

Classification improvement

Not applicable.

Observations

This course will be integrally taught in English. Any discussions and assessment (exam papers and critical essays) will also be in English.