Students in third and fourth period Sophomore English can find your Emma syllabus at the following link. (I've created an "appendix" to Paradise Loft, to avoid cluttering up this blog.)
Emma syllabus for third and fourth period
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Compare / Contrast Essay
The main purpose of this essay is to develop your ability to compose an argument that meaningfully compares two literary texts. The similarities and differences you identify should illuminate important aspects of both texts – don’t assume that a simple comparison will be interesting in and of itself. Your task is to show why it is interesting to examine these works side-by-side. Remember the comparisons we made between Pygmalion and Frankenstein—those are the meaningful types of comparisons that you are looking to make on this assignment. You may choose from one of the following topics:
1. Write an essay comparing the novel Emma with the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s Lysander observes that “the course of true love never did run smooth,” and Emma quotes this sentiment two centuries later, implying that at Hartfield this is not necessarily the case (p. 49). How do these texts compare in their portrayal of romantic love? Consider focusing on one of the following aspects of love in the two texts:
• How do these texts compare in their portrayal of matchmaking, and what does this seem to say about the different “worlds” the two texts are set in? For example, does the rigidly class-based social world of Emma offer a different take on matchmaking than the magic-influenced world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
• How do the relationships between men and women compare in each text? Do women and men seem to have a more equal level of power and status in one text than the other? Does one text offer a more optimistic view of romantic love than the other?
2. Write an essay comparing Emma and Pygmalion. Both revolve around an upper-class character shaping and molding a character of a lower social class in order to raise that character’s class status. How is Higgins’s “project” with Eliza different from and similar to Emma’s “undertaking” with Harriet Smith? Consider addressing one or more of the following questions in your comparison:
• How do Higgins’s and Emma’s motives compare, and how does this affect the way we view their different projects as teachers/benefactors? How are their relationships with their student/ protégé similar and/or different?
• What are the outcomes of the two projects, and how do they compare in the help or harm they bring to the student/protégé? How does this affect our view of any or all of the characters involved?
• To what extent do Higgins and Emma learn from their mistakes involving their protégés? Do they repent, change for the better, and/or increase in self-awareness? How does this affect our view of these characters, comparatively?
3. Compare the early nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel Frankenstein with the late nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Consider drawing on one of the following areas to focus your comparison:
• Victor Frankenstein and Henry Jekyll: how are they similar and how different, and what might this comparison lead you to say about science, technology, good and evil, ambition, sanity and insanity, secrets, honesty and dishonesty, human relationships, and/or work in these books?
• Frankenstein’s creature and Edward Hyde: what light do these “creations” shed on their creators? (the words apply better to Frankenstein’s creature… feel free to come up with another word to describe Hyde, or to describe both) What light do they shed on the communities they are part of (and in the creature’s case, become part of or pass through)? Are the relationships between the two creators and creations similar in any ways? If so, what do these similarities (and the inevitable differences) suggest about the role of creator, the responsibilities of scientific experimentation, or anything else? Is there a common human failing or flaw that these stories both bring to light? A common philosophical or ethical idea they both speak to?
• The frame narrative and its usefulness in telling a story; the characters of Walton and Utterson and their respective role in each story; the role of women (or lack thereof) in each book and/or the way each represents masculinity; each book as an early example of science fiction . . .
4. Compare Emma to its companion novel Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken. Written in the twentieth century but set in early nineteenth-century Highbury, Jane Fairfax tells the story of Emma from the perspective of Jane Fairfax. Evaluate Aiken’s novel as a companion to Emma: does Aiken effectively imitate Austen’s style? Are the characters recognizable from from Emma? Does Jane Fairfax take this story in interesting and worthwhile directions, or is it merely redundant with Emma? Compare this story as told from the perspectives of these two very different characters. How does each novel reflect differently on the same (or related) characters and events? What might Aiken’s purpose be in offering us this companion piece to Austen’s novel?
5. Choose a comparison topic of your own, using one of the books we’ve read so far this year and another book you think would make an interesting comparison. If you’re interested in this option, email me with a specific topic by the end of the school day on Tuesday 2/3 for approval.
Specifications: Your paper should have an introductory paragraph that mentions the titles (underlined or italicized) and authors of all the texts you plan to discuss and a clearly stated thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph or two. No comparison is inherently worthwhile for its own sake: the thesis should say specifically what is interesting about this comparison and how it helps us better understand both texts. Cite specific evidence and numerous examples from both texts to support each point throughout the essay (as always, use MLA citation style). Be sure to develop smooth transitions between paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that offers a definite sense of closure to your overall argument. The paper should be about three to four pages long, double-spaced.
• Sign up for a topic by: Wednesday 2/4
• Introductory paragraph and preliminary outline of your argument with evidence due for in-class workshop: Wednesday 2/11
• Complete rough draft (typed) due for in-class peer-edit: Tuesday 2/24
• Final draft due (typed, stapled, including all peer-edited drafts): Friday 2/27
1. Write an essay comparing the novel Emma with the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s Lysander observes that “the course of true love never did run smooth,” and Emma quotes this sentiment two centuries later, implying that at Hartfield this is not necessarily the case (p. 49). How do these texts compare in their portrayal of romantic love? Consider focusing on one of the following aspects of love in the two texts:
• How do these texts compare in their portrayal of matchmaking, and what does this seem to say about the different “worlds” the two texts are set in? For example, does the rigidly class-based social world of Emma offer a different take on matchmaking than the magic-influenced world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
• How do the relationships between men and women compare in each text? Do women and men seem to have a more equal level of power and status in one text than the other? Does one text offer a more optimistic view of romantic love than the other?
2. Write an essay comparing Emma and Pygmalion. Both revolve around an upper-class character shaping and molding a character of a lower social class in order to raise that character’s class status. How is Higgins’s “project” with Eliza different from and similar to Emma’s “undertaking” with Harriet Smith? Consider addressing one or more of the following questions in your comparison:
• How do Higgins’s and Emma’s motives compare, and how does this affect the way we view their different projects as teachers/benefactors? How are their relationships with their student/ protégé similar and/or different?
• What are the outcomes of the two projects, and how do they compare in the help or harm they bring to the student/protégé? How does this affect our view of any or all of the characters involved?
• To what extent do Higgins and Emma learn from their mistakes involving their protégés? Do they repent, change for the better, and/or increase in self-awareness? How does this affect our view of these characters, comparatively?
3. Compare the early nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel Frankenstein with the late nineteenth-century science-fiction/horror novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Consider drawing on one of the following areas to focus your comparison:
• Victor Frankenstein and Henry Jekyll: how are they similar and how different, and what might this comparison lead you to say about science, technology, good and evil, ambition, sanity and insanity, secrets, honesty and dishonesty, human relationships, and/or work in these books?
• Frankenstein’s creature and Edward Hyde: what light do these “creations” shed on their creators? (the words apply better to Frankenstein’s creature… feel free to come up with another word to describe Hyde, or to describe both) What light do they shed on the communities they are part of (and in the creature’s case, become part of or pass through)? Are the relationships between the two creators and creations similar in any ways? If so, what do these similarities (and the inevitable differences) suggest about the role of creator, the responsibilities of scientific experimentation, or anything else? Is there a common human failing or flaw that these stories both bring to light? A common philosophical or ethical idea they both speak to?
• The frame narrative and its usefulness in telling a story; the characters of Walton and Utterson and their respective role in each story; the role of women (or lack thereof) in each book and/or the way each represents masculinity; each book as an early example of science fiction . . .
4. Compare Emma to its companion novel Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken. Written in the twentieth century but set in early nineteenth-century Highbury, Jane Fairfax tells the story of Emma from the perspective of Jane Fairfax. Evaluate Aiken’s novel as a companion to Emma: does Aiken effectively imitate Austen’s style? Are the characters recognizable from from Emma? Does Jane Fairfax take this story in interesting and worthwhile directions, or is it merely redundant with Emma? Compare this story as told from the perspectives of these two very different characters. How does each novel reflect differently on the same (or related) characters and events? What might Aiken’s purpose be in offering us this companion piece to Austen’s novel?
5. Choose a comparison topic of your own, using one of the books we’ve read so far this year and another book you think would make an interesting comparison. If you’re interested in this option, email me with a specific topic by the end of the school day on Tuesday 2/3 for approval.
Specifications: Your paper should have an introductory paragraph that mentions the titles (underlined or italicized) and authors of all the texts you plan to discuss and a clearly stated thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph or two. No comparison is inherently worthwhile for its own sake: the thesis should say specifically what is interesting about this comparison and how it helps us better understand both texts. Cite specific evidence and numerous examples from both texts to support each point throughout the essay (as always, use MLA citation style). Be sure to develop smooth transitions between paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that offers a definite sense of closure to your overall argument. The paper should be about three to four pages long, double-spaced.
• Sign up for a topic by: Wednesday 2/4
• Introductory paragraph and preliminary outline of your argument with evidence due for in-class workshop: Wednesday 2/11
• Complete rough draft (typed) due for in-class peer-edit: Tuesday 2/24
• Final draft due (typed, stapled, including all peer-edited drafts): Friday 2/27
Emma Syllabus Week 3 Linder
Mon 2/2 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 12-14 (16 pp.) [30-32](Ch 9-11 optional – If you are not able to read 9-11, some developments: Emma feels uneasy after the Coles’s party because she has indiscreetly shared with Frank Churchill her suspicions of Jane's feelings for Mr. Dixon (she also dwells a bit on her own musical inferiority to Jane); Harriet is still thinking about Mr. Martin; Frank teases Jane Fairfax about the pianoforte and though Emma thinks Jane is secretly “cherishing reprehensible feelings” for the anonymous giver (who Emma assumes is Mr. Dixon), she is “half ashamed” because Frank has teased Jane about it in a most unseemly manner; Frank and Emma plan a ball, and all are excited at the prospect of it.) For Ch. 12-14 [31-32], vocab: allusion (171), perusal (172), reproof (174), auspices (179), pert (181). Why does Emma find Mrs. Elton an “insufferable woman”? Try to find a couple of examples of Mrs. Elton’s most egregious offenses in Emma’s eyes.
Tues 2/3 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 15-18 (21 pp.) [33-36] Vocab: conjugal (183), licentiousness (185), penury (185), appellation (188). Find two specific passages regarding Mrs. Elton that offer some insight into Emma's distaste for her. Do other people seem to find Mrs. Elton objectionable? Do you? Consider a possible subtext in the discussion of Frank Churchill's handwriting at the end of chapter 16 [34]. Does there seem to be more at stake than his script? Characterize Jane Fairfax's attitude toward being a governess. What analogy does she use to describe the business of placing governesses in chapter 17 [35], and what does her choice of words say about her feelings toward her future profession? What is ironic about the conversation Mr. Weston and Mrs. Elton have about Mrs. Churchill in chapter 18 [36]?
Wed 2/4 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 1-4 (18 pp.) [37 – 40]. Vocab: eminent (206), expeditious(209), reprobation (215), impelled (219). In what way does Mr. Elton insult Harriet in chapter 2 [38], and how does this reflect on him and Mrs. Elton? What do you think the narrator means when she calls Emma an "imaginist" (Ch. 3, p. 218)? Do you think Emma understands herself to be an imaginist? Look carefully at the paragraph and consider whether this seems to be the narrator's perspective strictly, or Emma's also. What does Harriet’s “confession” to Emma in Ch. 4 tell us about her? (note: our footnote says “court plaister” is adhesive tape. It’s more like a primitive form of band-aid). Emma pastiche assigned.
Thurs 2/5 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 5-7 (23 pp.) [41-43]. Vocab: disingenuousness (227), reproof (230), arrear (231), fagged (246). What "blunder" does Frank make in chapter 5 [41]? Find the slip he makes early in the chapter, which he refers to later during the alphabet game. Consider the tense but constrained conflicts in chapter 6 between Mrs. Elton and Mr. Knightley, and later between Emma and Jane. What seems to be underneath each of these terse discussions, and which of the participants appears more favorably in each? In what way does Emma insult Miss Bates in chapter 7? Why does Mr. Knightley find this not only rude, but cruel? How does his criticism affect Emma?
Fri 2/6 Book talks and independent reading.
Tues 2/3 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 15-18 (21 pp.) [33-36] Vocab: conjugal (183), licentiousness (185), penury (185), appellation (188). Find two specific passages regarding Mrs. Elton that offer some insight into Emma's distaste for her. Do other people seem to find Mrs. Elton objectionable? Do you? Consider a possible subtext in the discussion of Frank Churchill's handwriting at the end of chapter 16 [34]. Does there seem to be more at stake than his script? Characterize Jane Fairfax's attitude toward being a governess. What analogy does she use to describe the business of placing governesses in chapter 17 [35], and what does her choice of words say about her feelings toward her future profession? What is ironic about the conversation Mr. Weston and Mrs. Elton have about Mrs. Churchill in chapter 18 [36]?
Wed 2/4 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 1-4 (18 pp.) [37 – 40]. Vocab: eminent (206), expeditious(209), reprobation (215), impelled (219). In what way does Mr. Elton insult Harriet in chapter 2 [38], and how does this reflect on him and Mrs. Elton? What do you think the narrator means when she calls Emma an "imaginist" (Ch. 3, p. 218)? Do you think Emma understands herself to be an imaginist? Look carefully at the paragraph and consider whether this seems to be the narrator's perspective strictly, or Emma's also. What does Harriet’s “confession” to Emma in Ch. 4 tell us about her? (note: our footnote says “court plaister” is adhesive tape. It’s more like a primitive form of band-aid). Emma pastiche assigned.
Thurs 2/5 Emma, Vol. III, Ch. 5-7 (23 pp.) [41-43]. Vocab: disingenuousness (227), reproof (230), arrear (231), fagged (246). What "blunder" does Frank make in chapter 5 [41]? Find the slip he makes early in the chapter, which he refers to later during the alphabet game. Consider the tense but constrained conflicts in chapter 6 between Mrs. Elton and Mr. Knightley, and later between Emma and Jane. What seems to be underneath each of these terse discussions, and which of the participants appears more favorably in each? In what way does Emma insult Miss Bates in chapter 7? Why does Mr. Knightley find this not only rude, but cruel? How does his criticism affect Emma?
Fri 2/6 Book talks and independent reading.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Letter of Introduction
Students,
Hello! My name is Ms. Bluhm and I will be working with you in Ms. Linder’s classes for the next several weeks. I am currently a student at the University of Illinois here in Champaign-Urbana and in my last semester of my undergraduate studies. I am pursuing a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education. To complete my student teaching required for certification (and also to get some great professional experience), I will be working at Uni High for the first half of the semester and then moving on to Jefferson Middle School in Champaign.
Though I’ve lived in Champaign-Urbana for the better part of the last four years while earning my degree, I did not grow up in the area. I am from a northwest suburb of Chicago and still return to the area frequently to visit my family. I have an older brother who also attended the University of Illinois and a younger sister who is currently in eighth grade.
I love to read and write. Between my completing my English coursework and pursuing these interests outside of school, much of my time is taken up with literary activities. Academically, I recently finished my senior thesis on Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, arguing for an intertextual link that imagines non-normative sexuality as social monstrosity. Over winter break, my sister convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (with which I’m sure many of you are familiar); I consequently bought and read the latter three books in the series. As you can see, the range of my literary interests is wide and non-discriminatory. I also love to discuss and analyze literature and look forward to hearing what you have to say, whether your contemplations are on in-class readings or outside texts that excite you. I even love grammar (yes, really). English is truly my calling and my love, and I hope that truth is evident in our interactions this semester.
My involvement here at Uni will be a learning experience for us both. It is my hope that I will be able to challenge you and ignite your literary curiosity. And, in turn, it is my expectation that you will challenge my thinking with regard to both literature and teaching. I believe that we will learn best from each other with open lines of communication. For that reason, I hope you will feel comfortable coming to me with any questions, concerns, comments, etc. about course material or classroom proceedings.
Again, I am genuinely excited for all that this semester has in store for us. I look forward to meeting you all on Monday; however, if you’d like to introduce yourself before then, feel free to shoot me an email!
Thanks in advance for a wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
Ms. Bluhm
Hello! My name is Ms. Bluhm and I will be working with you in Ms. Linder’s classes for the next several weeks. I am currently a student at the University of Illinois here in Champaign-Urbana and in my last semester of my undergraduate studies. I am pursuing a major in English and a minor in Secondary Education. To complete my student teaching required for certification (and also to get some great professional experience), I will be working at Uni High for the first half of the semester and then moving on to Jefferson Middle School in Champaign.
Though I’ve lived in Champaign-Urbana for the better part of the last four years while earning my degree, I did not grow up in the area. I am from a northwest suburb of Chicago and still return to the area frequently to visit my family. I have an older brother who also attended the University of Illinois and a younger sister who is currently in eighth grade.
I love to read and write. Between my completing my English coursework and pursuing these interests outside of school, much of my time is taken up with literary activities. Academically, I recently finished my senior thesis on Jeffrey Eugenides’s Middlesex and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, arguing for an intertextual link that imagines non-normative sexuality as social monstrosity. Over winter break, my sister convinced me to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (with which I’m sure many of you are familiar); I consequently bought and read the latter three books in the series. As you can see, the range of my literary interests is wide and non-discriminatory. I also love to discuss and analyze literature and look forward to hearing what you have to say, whether your contemplations are on in-class readings or outside texts that excite you. I even love grammar (yes, really). English is truly my calling and my love, and I hope that truth is evident in our interactions this semester.
My involvement here at Uni will be a learning experience for us both. It is my hope that I will be able to challenge you and ignite your literary curiosity. And, in turn, it is my expectation that you will challenge my thinking with regard to both literature and teaching. I believe that we will learn best from each other with open lines of communication. For that reason, I hope you will feel comfortable coming to me with any questions, concerns, comments, etc. about course material or classroom proceedings.
Again, I am genuinely excited for all that this semester has in store for us. I look forward to meeting you all on Monday; however, if you’d like to introduce yourself before then, feel free to shoot me an email!
Thanks in advance for a wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
Ms. Bluhm
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Emma Syllabus Week 2 Linder
Mon 1/26 Emma, Ch. 15-18 (to end of Vol. I; 17 pp.) Vocab: perverse (81), presumption
(89), incongruity (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), expediency (96). Why are Emma and Mr. Elton both angry and insulted after their exchange in the carriage on the way home from Randalls? In what ways does Emma’s character develop as a result of the “overthrow of all her plans”?
Tues 1/27 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 1-3 (16 pp.) [19-21] Vocab: solace (98), insidious (102), fondling (noun, 104), recantation (108), diffidence (110). What is Emma’s attitude toward Miss Bates in these chapters? Does her behavior toward her reflect her attitude, or is it more (or less) respectful than her thoughts might suggest? What are some of the reasons Emma doesn’t particularly like Jane Fairfax?
Wed 1/28 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 4-6 (18 pp.) [22-24] Vocab: mortified (117), pique (118), reproach (119). How does Emma react to the news that Mr. Elton is going to be married? What judgments of his wife-to-be does she make, based on what she’s heard about her? Why do you think Emma anticipates Frank Churchill’s visit so much? What are her impressions of him?
Thurs. 1/29 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 7-8 (16 pp.) [25-26] Vocab: chaise (132), foppery (132), ostentation (137), languid (149). What do you make of Emma’s attitude toward the Coles’ inviting her and her father to their dinner party? How does this reflect on her, and what does it indicate to you about her? Does the narrator seem to accept her attitudes? To subtly mock them? To critique them? Why does Mr. Knightley call Emma “Nonsensical girl!”? Do you agree with his jibe? Does Emma’s certainty about the origin of the gift of a pianoforte to Jane Fairfax seem founded? What are some of the reasons that the idea of Mr. Knightley marrying Jane perturbs Emma so much? Compare and contrast essay assigned.
Fri 1/30 Book talks and independent reading.
(89), incongruity (89), ingenuousness (92), mortification (93), expediency (96). Why are Emma and Mr. Elton both angry and insulted after their exchange in the carriage on the way home from Randalls? In what ways does Emma’s character develop as a result of the “overthrow of all her plans”?
Tues 1/27 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 1-3 (16 pp.) [19-21] Vocab: solace (98), insidious (102), fondling (noun, 104), recantation (108), diffidence (110). What is Emma’s attitude toward Miss Bates in these chapters? Does her behavior toward her reflect her attitude, or is it more (or less) respectful than her thoughts might suggest? What are some of the reasons Emma doesn’t particularly like Jane Fairfax?
Wed 1/28 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 4-6 (18 pp.) [22-24] Vocab: mortified (117), pique (118), reproach (119). How does Emma react to the news that Mr. Elton is going to be married? What judgments of his wife-to-be does she make, based on what she’s heard about her? Why do you think Emma anticipates Frank Churchill’s visit so much? What are her impressions of him?
Thurs. 1/29 Emma, Vol. II, Ch. 7-8 (16 pp.) [25-26] Vocab: chaise (132), foppery (132), ostentation (137), languid (149). What do you make of Emma’s attitude toward the Coles’ inviting her and her father to their dinner party? How does this reflect on her, and what does it indicate to you about her? Does the narrator seem to accept her attitudes? To subtly mock them? To critique them? Why does Mr. Knightley call Emma “Nonsensical girl!”? Do you agree with his jibe? Does Emma’s certainty about the origin of the gift of a pianoforte to Jane Fairfax seem founded? What are some of the reasons that the idea of Mr. Knightley marrying Jane perturbs Emma so much? Compare and contrast essay assigned.
Fri 1/30 Book talks and independent reading.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Emma Syllabus Week 1 Linder
I will hand out the complete Emma syllabus in class, but will post online one week at a time as the syllabus is so very long. We also have the pleasure of a student teacher joining us this semester. Ms. Bluhm will join our class on Monday, January 26 and will be teaching a large part of Emma. Look for an introductory letter from her on the blog in the next week or so.
Week one of Emma:
Thur 1/15 Emma, Vol. I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator's perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Mon 1/19 No school--MLK holiday
Tue 1/20 Emma, Ch. 2-5 (18 pp.) Vocab: benevolent (11), vicar (11), gruel (14), unmodulated (20), inducement (22). Who is Frank Churchill? Trace the connection between him and Emma. Who is Harriet Smith, and why does Emma take a liking to her? Why does Mr. Knightley object to the friendship between Harriet and Emma?
Wed 1/21 Emma, Ch. 6-8 (18 pp.) Vocab: scruple (27), approbation (28), countenance (29), inimitable (30), diffuse (35). Why do Emma and Mr. Knightley disagree on the question of whether Harriet should accept Robert Martin's proposal of marriage?
Thur 1/22 Emma, Ch. 9-10 & 13-14 (26 pp. total; Ch 11-12 optional*). Vocab: cipher (44), indisposed (71), contrivance (75), solicitous (77). Do you think Emma is correct in thinking that Mr. Elton is falling for Harriet? Find specific passages that support your view.
Fri 1/23 Book talks and independent reading
* Summary of chapters 11 & 12: Emma's sister Isabella and her husband, John Knightley, bring their five children to Harfield to spend ten days during the Christmas holidays. George Knightley is invited to dinner, and Emma is anxious to make up with him after his scoulding over her interference in Harriet's life. After dinner, there is discussin of Frank Churchill's overdue and much speculated-upon visit to Highbury, and of Miss Bates's niece Jane Fairfax, who Isabella thinks would make very good company for Emma. Isabella and her father eat a bowl of gruel together, but are unable to compel any of the other to join them.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Pygmalion Syllabus Linder
Tues 1/6 George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Preface and Act One. Vocab: gumption (14), brogue (26), bilious (27), mendacity (28), prodigal (31). What kind of world is described in this act? What are the values, pastimes, interests and concerns of this world? Do you see any of the play’s themes emerging? If so, what do they seem to be?
Wed 1/7 Pygmalion, Act Two. Vocab: petulance (34), pathos (36), elocution (42), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (61). How would you describe Higgins’s attitude toward Eliza? Do you think Shaw approves of this attitude or not, and why? What seems to be Shaw’s attitude toward Higgins? (consider especially his description in the stage directions).
Thurs 1/8 Pygmalion, Act Three. Vocab: caricature (66), straitened, brusque (70), pedantic (73), extricate, imprecation (75), voluble (87). What seems to be Mrs. Higgins’s attitude toward her son? Why is this different than Pickering’s attitude toward him, and how? What reaction do each of the Eynsford-Hills have to Eliza? Why is her conversation with them so humorous?
Fri 1/9 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 1/12 Pygmalion, Act Four. Vocab: cant (103), asunder (108), resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). Why does Eliza react as she does to Higgins in Act Four? How has she changed over the course of the play?
Tues 1/13 Pygmalion, Act Five. Vocab.: resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). After reading the end of Act Five, consider this play as a comedy. In what sense is it comedic, and how does it differ from the classical definition of comedy we discussed first semester?
Wed 1/14 Read Pygmalion “Sequel” (pp. 134-48). Brainstorm ideas for a brief comparison between Pygmalion and Frankenstein (typed, one double-spaced page, due Tuesday 1/20). What do these stories have in common, if anything, and how are their similarities significant? Does Higgins do Eliza a disservice in “re-creating” her and/or in his treatment of her throughout the play? Do Higgins and Eliza have anything in common with Victor Frankenstein and his creation? In what significant ways are they different? In class: view and discuss scenes from My Fair Lady.
Thurs 1/15 Emma,Vol I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator’s perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Fri 1/16 Book talks and independent reading
Wed 1/7 Pygmalion, Act Two. Vocab: petulance (34), pathos (36), elocution (42), dogmatic (49), blackguard (53), remonstrate (54), incensed (61). How would you describe Higgins’s attitude toward Eliza? Do you think Shaw approves of this attitude or not, and why? What seems to be Shaw’s attitude toward Higgins? (consider especially his description in the stage directions).
Thurs 1/8 Pygmalion, Act Three. Vocab: caricature (66), straitened, brusque (70), pedantic (73), extricate, imprecation (75), voluble (87). What seems to be Mrs. Higgins’s attitude toward her son? Why is this different than Pickering’s attitude toward him, and how? What reaction do each of the Eynsford-Hills have to Eliza? Why is her conversation with them so humorous?
Fri 1/9 Book talks and independent reading
Mon 1/12 Pygmalion, Act Four. Vocab: cant (103), asunder (108), resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). Why does Eliza react as she does to Higgins in Act Four? How has she changed over the course of the play?
Tues 1/13 Pygmalion, Act Five. Vocab.: resplendent (113), repudiate (116), reproach, incorrigible (123). After reading the end of Act Five, consider this play as a comedy. In what sense is it comedic, and how does it differ from the classical definition of comedy we discussed first semester?
Wed 1/14 Read Pygmalion “Sequel” (pp. 134-48). Brainstorm ideas for a brief comparison between Pygmalion and Frankenstein (typed, one double-spaced page, due Tuesday 1/20). What do these stories have in common, if anything, and how are their similarities significant? Does Higgins do Eliza a disservice in “re-creating” her and/or in his treatment of her throughout the play? Do Higgins and Eliza have anything in common with Victor Frankenstein and his creation? In what significant ways are they different? In class: view and discuss scenes from My Fair Lady.
Thurs 1/15 Emma,Vol I, Ch. 1 (7 pp.) Vocab: alloy (1), endeavor (6), unaffected (7). What is your initial impression of Emma? What does her father think of her? What does Mr. Knightley think of her? What does she think of herself? Does the narrator’s perception of her seem different than her own? Find quotes to illustrate each perspective.
Fri 1/16 Book talks and independent reading
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