THA 210
History of the Theatre I:  Ancient Theatre to 1700

Instructor:         Dr. Jay Oney
Office Hours:         by appointment in the Furman Theatre
Place:         Playhouse                                    Phone:  294-2128
Time:         M, W, F:                                    8:30 – 9:20 am

Texts:                                    Living Theatre: A History,  5th Edition, Wilson, Goldfarb
The Broadview Anthology of Drama: Plays from the Western Theatre, Volume 1

Policies:                  Class attendance is required.  Attendance at all exams, including the final, is mandatory.  In extreme cases, university attendance policies will be enforced.  Class participation can affect your final grade.

Learning Objectives:

The primary objective of this course is to acquaint the student with the origin, staging, dramaturgy, and historical context of the theatre from its beginnings until the end of the 17th century.  This understanding will be developed through reading plays from the different periods and mastering the first half of the Wilson, Goldfarb survey text.  In addition to discussion of their theatrical merit, the plays will be considered for the light they shed on the staging practices of the historical periods.

Methods:         Lecture/Discussion.

Grading:                  Tests may consist of essay, short answer, matching, and/or multiple-choice questions.

Students interested in writing an optional research paper for up to a full letter grade extra credit should have paper topics approved by the instructor by 10/15 and first draft submitted no later than 11/26.

N.B.                  Any changes to class policies, schedules, or requirements will be announced in class. 
Students who engage in academic dishonesty will fail the course.

Disability Statement:
Early in the course, any student with a documented disability needing academic accommodations should contact Ms. Susan Clark (294-2322), Furman’s Disability Services Coordinator.  All discussions will remain confidential.

8/26                                    Introduction
8/28                                    Origins                                                                                                                              Introduction

8/31                                    Ancient Greece                                                                                                            Ch 1
9/02                                    Ancient Greece
9/04                                    Ancient Greece                                                                                                            The Orestia

9/07                                                                        ***Labor Day***                                                                                                           
9/09                                    Ancient Greece                                                                                                           
9/11                                    Ancient Greece                                                                                                            Hippolytus

9/14                                    Ancient Greece                                                                                                            Frogs
9/16                                    Rome                                                                                                                              Ch 2
9/18                                    Rome                                                                                                           

9/21                                    Rome                                                                                                           
9/23                                    Rome                                                                                                                              Miles Gloriosus
9/25                                    Review                                                                                                                             

9/28                                    **Quiz #1**                                                                                                                             
9/30                                    Medieval Theatre                                                                                          Ch 4
10/02                                    Medieval Theatre

10/05                                    Medieval Theatre                                                                                          The Second Shepherd’s Play
10/07                                    Medieval Theatre
10/09                                    Medieval Theatre                                                                                          Everyman

10/12                                    Medieval Theatre                                                                                          Pierre Patelin (in class)
10/14                                    Medieval Theatre                                                                                          The Conversion of Thais the Whore
10/16                                    Italian Renaissance                                                                                          Ch 5

10/19                                    Italian Renaissance
10/21                                    Italian Renaissance
***Fall Break 10/22 – 10/25***

10/26                                    Italian Renaissance                                                                                         
10/28                                    Review
10/30                                    **Quiz #2**

11/02                                     Asian Theatre
11/04                                    English Renaissance                                                                                          Ch 6
11/06                                    English Renaissance                                                                                          Dr Faustus

11/09                                    English Renaissance                                                                                          The Tempest
11/11                                    English Renaissance
11/13                                    Golden Age of Spain                                                                                          Ch 7

11/16                                    Golden Age of Spain                                                                                          Fuenteovejuna
11/18                                    Golden Age of Spain
11/20                                    French Neoclassic                                                                                          Ch 8

11/23                                    French Neoclassic
25 – 29 November – Thanksgiving Holidays
12/02                                    French Neoclassic                                                                                          Tartuffe (in class)
12/04                                    French Neoclassic
11/30                                    French Neoclassic                                                                                          Phèdre

12/7                                    Review

Final Exam            Monday 10 December 8:30 – 11:00 am
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