Comic Spirit Syllabus
Spring 2011
THE COMIC SPIRIT
CWL 320I-01 (#4996)
MW 800-915am (MM-100)
Course Description
The Comic Spirit is intended to serve as an interdisciplinary introduction to the theory of comedy and history of comic forms. Literary works of various types, national literary traditions, and historical periods will be considered, as will other kinds of comic art, especially that of modern film. In all cases, particular emphasis will be given to the historical circumstance and the intellectual significance of high comic expression at its very best and most profound.
Course Requirements and Grades
Students are expected to be in regular attendance and to have completed the required reading assignment on schedule. Informed and critically focused participation is both welcomed and encouraged.
Course assignments are designed to test at regular intervals the development of literary comprehension and progressively improved textual interpretation skills. The five graded assignments are these: two reading quizzes (10% each), midterm exam (25%), term paper (30%), and final exam (25%). …show more content…
CSULB Withdrawal Policy: “Withdrawal during the final three weeks of instruction is not permitted except in cases such as accident or serious illness where the circumstances causing the withdrawal are clearly beyond the student’s control and the assignment of an Incomplete is not practical.
Ordinarily, withdrawal in this category will involve total withdrawal from the campus except that a Credit/No Credit grade or an incomplete may be assigned for courses in which sufficient work has been completed to permit an evaluation to be made. Request for permission to withdraw under these circumstances must be made in writing on forms available in the Office of Enrollment Services. These requests must be approved by the instructor, department chairperson, and dean of the school.” (See CSULB Catalog, page
67)
Course Texts
These texts are required reading and may be purchased at the University Bookstore: • Aristophanes, Clouds, Wasps, Birds (Hackett), 0872203603, $12.95 • Moliere, The Misanthrope and Tartuffe (Mariner), 0156605171, $14.00 • Voltaire, Candide (Modern Library), 0812972015, $10.00 • Gogol, Collected Tales (Vintage), 0375706151, $15.95 • Twain, Huckleberry Finn (Modern Library), 0375757376, $6.95 • Burgess, A Clockwork Orange (Norton), 0393312836, $13.95 • McDonagh, In Bruges (Faber), 0571242316, $13.00
Course Readings and Assignments
Week 1 Introduction Week 2 Aristophanes: The Clouds Week 3 Plautus: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Week 4 Moliere: The Misanthrope Week 5 Voltaire: Candide Week 6 Voltaire: Candide
Week 7 Gogol: Collected Tales
Week 8 Gogol: Collected Tales MIDTERM EXAM (March 14) Week 9 Twain: Huckleberry Finn Week 10 Twain: Huckleberry Finn Week 11 Chaplin: Modern Times
Week 12 Burgess: A Clockwork Orange
Week 13 Burgess: A Clockwork Orange
TERM PAPER due in class (April 25) Week 14 McDonagh: In Bruges
Week 15 McDonagh: In Bruges
FINALS FINAL EXAM (May 16: 800-1000am)
Office Hours and Contact Information
Office hours this semester are scheduled on Tuesday 1000am-1200pm and Thursday 400-500pm. Other times are available by appointment.
My office is located in Mcintosh Humanities Building, Room 605 (MHB-605). The telephone number is 562/985-8660, and there is voicemail at that number for messages left outside of scheduled office hours.
Messages (not class assignments) may also be sent to my university e-mail address (thaeuss@csulb.edu) or left in my Comparative Literature department mailbox in the McIntosh Humanities Building, Room 517 (MHB-517).
THE COMIC SPIRIT
CWL 320I-01 (#4996)
MW 800-915am (MM-100)
Course Description
The Comic Spirit is intended to serve as an interdisciplinary introduction to the theory of comedy and history of comic forms. Literary works of various types, national literary traditions, and historical periods will be considered, as will other kinds of comic art, especially that of modern film. In all cases, particular emphasis will be given to the historical circumstance and the intellectual significance of high comic expression at its very best and most profound.
Course Requirements and Grades
Students are expected to be in regular attendance and to have completed the required reading assignment on schedule. Informed and critically focused participation is both welcomed and encouraged.
Course assignments are designed to test at regular intervals the development of literary comprehension and progressively improved textual interpretation skills. The five graded assignments are these: two reading quizzes (10% each), midterm exam (25%), term paper (30%), and final exam (25%). …show more content…
CSULB Withdrawal Policy: “Withdrawal during the final three weeks of instruction is not permitted except in cases such as accident or serious illness where the circumstances causing the withdrawal are clearly beyond the student’s control and the assignment of an Incomplete is not practical.
Ordinarily, withdrawal in this category will involve total withdrawal from the campus except that a Credit/No Credit grade or an incomplete may be assigned for courses in which sufficient work has been completed to permit an evaluation to be made. Request for permission to withdraw under these circumstances must be made in writing on forms available in the Office of Enrollment Services. These requests must be approved by the instructor, department chairperson, and dean of the school.” (See CSULB Catalog, page
67)
Course Texts
These texts are required reading and may be purchased at the University Bookstore: • Aristophanes, Clouds, Wasps, Birds (Hackett), 0872203603, $12.95 • Moliere, The Misanthrope and Tartuffe (Mariner), 0156605171, $14.00 • Voltaire, Candide (Modern Library), 0812972015, $10.00 • Gogol, Collected Tales (Vintage), 0375706151, $15.95 • Twain, Huckleberry Finn (Modern Library), 0375757376, $6.95 • Burgess, A Clockwork Orange (Norton), 0393312836, $13.95 • McDonagh, In Bruges (Faber), 0571242316, $13.00
Course Readings and Assignments
Week 1 Introduction Week 2 Aristophanes: The Clouds Week 3 Plautus: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Week 4 Moliere: The Misanthrope Week 5 Voltaire: Candide Week 6 Voltaire: Candide
Week 7 Gogol: Collected Tales
Week 8 Gogol: Collected Tales MIDTERM EXAM (March 14) Week 9 Twain: Huckleberry Finn Week 10 Twain: Huckleberry Finn Week 11 Chaplin: Modern Times
Week 12 Burgess: A Clockwork Orange
Week 13 Burgess: A Clockwork Orange
TERM PAPER due in class (April 25) Week 14 McDonagh: In Bruges
Week 15 McDonagh: In Bruges
FINALS FINAL EXAM (May 16: 800-1000am)
Office Hours and Contact Information
Office hours this semester are scheduled on Tuesday 1000am-1200pm and Thursday 400-500pm. Other times are available by appointment.
My office is located in Mcintosh Humanities Building, Room 605 (MHB-605). The telephone number is 562/985-8660, and there is voicemail at that number for messages left outside of scheduled office hours.
Messages (not class assignments) may also be sent to my university e-mail address (thaeuss@csulb.edu) or left in my Comparative Literature department mailbox in the McIntosh Humanities Building, Room 517 (MHB-517).