The reign of Elizabeth I fostered a new social technology – the public theatre – and with it an explosion of playwriting that has influenced how we think about power and public identity to this day. The Queen staged her authority in elaborate rituals, called herself a ‘prince’, declined to marry, and produced no direct heir. Tragedies and histories of the era dramatise crises of royal succession and related political instability through complex explorations of tyranny and treachery. This cultural work took place in a new and radically public space and was governed by an aesthetics of self-reflexivity. What can we learn from these plays and this epoch about the relationship between gender, sex, performance, and political power? In this course you will learn to read early modern plays informed by an understanding of their theatrical and socio-political origins and to reflect on their legacies in modern entertainment and public life. Playwrights to be studied include Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, William Shakespeare, and Elizabeth Cary.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- read, analyse and critically discuss a range of early modern plays;
- identify themes and formal characteristics of early modern drama;
- analyse a play-text in the light of its socio-political context;
- use Practice-as-Research methods to investigate a scene from an early-modern play-text as director or dramaturg; and
- reflect on practice-based research findings in the light of published scholarship in early modern drama.
Indicative Assessment
- Scene analysis, 1000 words (20) [LO 1,2]
- Presentation, 20 minutes (20) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Research journal, 3000 words (50) [LO 2,3,5]
- Class participation (10) [LO 1,2,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of workshops; 12 hours of seminars.
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
This is an in-person course. Participation in workshops and seminars is required.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Christopher Marlowe, Dr Faustus
Elizabeth Cary, The Tragedy of Mariam
William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, Henry VIII / All is True
Assumed Knowledge
No prior acting or performance experience is required to undertake this course
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.