Introduction to the Middle Ages

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Introduction to the Middle Ages: Lecture on the development of the English language from Celtic to Medieval and beyond.
Use the “Timeline of World Events” (Course Pack) as a reference.
“Sumer is icumen in” (Course Pack). Listen to the song on E-study
“Bisclavret” Breton lay by Marie de France (Course Pack)
          BLOG: Considering the place of women in medieval society, do you find it unusual that a woman has written a story about the treachery of a woman? Include image of a werewolf.
Ovid, Metamorphoses: the Story of “Daedalus and Icarus” (Course Pack).
          BLOG: Icarus is the “poster child” for hubris, the great sin of the Ancient world. Exactly what is hubris? How do we feel about hubris today? Provide at least two examples from 20th-21st century and explain your choices. Include news clips and/or images from the web.
 

Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Acts 4-5

.:.Prompt.:.Shakespeare, William, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Acts 4-5 (Folger pp 119-173)

    BLOG: Ancient Athens is a totally patriarchal world. Shakespeare likes to overturn power dynamics in his plays, and especially expectations regarding gender. Give several examples in this play of gender roles being overturned.  Also, how does Puck explain the title of Midsummer Night’s Dream in his epilogue? Find Mendelssohn’s wedding music for this play. Listen to it and imbed Naxos link. Include several different images of Puck.

Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Acts 1-3

.:.Prompt.:.Shakespeare, William, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Acts 1-3 (Folger pp 3-117)
    BLOG: Write a brief description of each of the plots that are going on simultaneously in this play, including the names of the characters involved. Why does everyone end up in the forest? Include an image of the Globe Theater and of the “rude mechanicals.”

William Shakespeare

.:.Prompt.:.Introduction to the Renaissance (Course Pack). Introduction to William Shakespeare (1564-1616)  (Folger Library Midsummer Night’s Dream pp xiii-xliv)
    BLOG: Where was Shakespeare born? Whom did he marry? What is the verse form of Shakespeare’s plays? From a business perspective, what was innovative about Shakespeare’s acting company compared to his contemporaries? Under Elizabeth I, what was his acting company’s name? What was it under James I? Include images of Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, and James I. (Try Art Resource on Waterfield Library website.)

Marx: “Bourgeois and Proletarians”

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Karl Marx (1818-1883) “Bourgeois and Proletarians” from the Manifesto of the Communist Party (Course Pack).
BLOG: What two groups of people does Marx see struggling for dominance in his world? Which group does he predict will win? Why does he think so?

Marxist (or anti-Marxist?) music: “Millworker” song by James Taylor (Course Pack).
BLOG: Taylor’s song is about a textile mill laborer during the American Industrial Revolution (early 20th century). Taylor quotes almost exactly from Marx. Identify the line in the song and reference it to Marx. Include a picture of a textile millworker.

Modern economic philosophy (Do you think?): “Mercedes Benz” Janis Joplin (1943-1970) (Course Pack).
BLOG: Note the opening (spoken) line in Joplin’s song. Is this song intended to be serious in any way? If so, how? What does Joplin mean by “social and political import?” Is this song satire? Explain. Include a picture of Janis Joplin and a Mercedes Benz.

Songs: Vier Letze Lieder by Strauss

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[German Romantic Lyric Poetry and music]: Richard Strauss, song cycle: Vier letzte Lieder [Four Last Songs] The German and English texts are in the Course Pack. Before you come to class, be sure to listen to them, sung by Jessye Norman.
Frühling (“Spring”)
September
Beim Schlafengehen (“Going to Sleep”)
Im Abendrot (“At Sunset”)
BLOG: What is a song cycle? (If you don’t know, find out.) What is Strauss’s overriding theme in this cycle? The last song, “Im Abendrot,” is obviously about death. Why is significant that larks appear in this song? What kind of birds are they? When do larks sing? Does ending with a question make the entire song cycle more powerful? How so? Include pictures of Richard Strauss and Jessye Norman (perhaps the album cover).