English 3325-2042: Asian Drama

Dr. Frontain

MWF 12-12.50 p.m. Irby 313

Fall 2001

Office: Irby 421

Office Hours: MW 1-2, 3.15-4.30

TTh 1.30-2.30

F 1-3

Course description

Whereas Anglo-European theater is just recovering the concept of "total theater," Asian theater presents an unbroken tradition in which dramatic language is wedded to dance, music, and spectacle, allowing theater to retain its original identity as religious ritual. Concentration this semester will be upon select plays from both the classical and contemporary stages of India, China, and Japan.

Textbooks

Karen Brazell, ed. Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays (Columbia UP, 1998)

Liu Jung-en, trans. Six Yuan Plays (Penguin, 1972)

Haiping Yan, ed. Theater and Society: An Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Drama (Sharpe, 1998)

P. Lal, trans. Great Sanskrit Plays (New Directions, 1964)

Erin B. Mee, ed. Drama Contemporary: India (Johns Hopkins UP, 2001)

Schedule of Readings and Assignments

F 17 Aug. Introduction to Course

Unit I: Japanese Drama

M 20 Aug. Introduction to Noh Theater: Atsumori (TJD)

Be certain this week to read as well the introductory essay on Japanese theater (TJD 3-43) and the introduction to Noh Theater (TJD 115-25)

W 22 Aug. Conclude discussion of Atsumori

F 24 Aug. Dojoji

M 27 Aug. Yamamba

W 29 Aug. Izutsu

F 31 Aug. Discussion; film

M 3 Sept. LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

W 5 Sept. Miidera

Be certain this week to read as well the introductory essay on Puppet and Kabuki theater (TJD 303-13)

F 7 Sept. Film: Puppet Theater

M 10 Sept. Love Suicides at Amijima

W 12 Sept. "

F 14 Sept. First Note of Spring

M 17 Sept. At the Farmhouse

W 19 Sept. Introduction to Kabuki; Suma Bay

F 21 Sept. "

M 24 Sept. A Maiden at Dojoji

W 26 Sept. "

F 28 Sept. EXAMINATION #1

Unit II: Chinese Drama

M 1 Oct. Chang Boils the Sea (SYP)

W 3 Oct. "

F 5 Oct. Film

M 8 Oct. Stratagem of Interlocking Rings (SYP)

W10 Oct. "

F 12 Oct. Injustice Done to Tou Ngo (SYP)

M 15 Oct. "

W 17 Oct. Gao Xingjian, Bus Stop (TS)

F 19 Oct. "

M 22 Oct. Gao, "Noble Prize Acceptance Speech"

W 24 Oct. Conclude discussion of Gao

F 26 Oct. Zheng Yi and Wu Tianming, Old Well

M 29 Oct. Discussion and Film

W 31 Oct. Discussion and Film

F 2 Nov. EXAMINATION #2

Unit III: Indiana Drama

M 5 Nov. Dream of Vasavadatta (GSP)

W 7 Nov. "

F 9 Nov. "

M 12 Nov. Later Story of Rama

W 14 Nov. "

F 16 Nov. "

M 19 Nov. Film

W 21 Nov. THANKSGIVING RECESS

F 23 Nov. THANKSGIVING RECESS

M 26 Nov. Girish Karnad, The Fire and the Rain (DCI)

W 28 Nov. "

F 30 Nov. "

M 3 Dec. Tripurari Sharma, The Wooden Cart

W 5 Dec. "

F 7 Dec. "

M 10 Dec. (11 am to 1 pm): FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

EVALUATION

The final grade for this course will be computed as follows: exam #1 (20%), exam #2 (25%), final exam (30%), and quiz average (25%). Any penalty for excessive absence/tardiness will be deducted from the final grade average.