As I was watching the inauguration, today, I was especially pleased to see Elizabeth Alexander reprise the occasional poem. A few lines in particular are relevant to our studies this term, especially EN203: World Literature, which is themed around the idea of the encounter: We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered …
The game needs some tweaks…
Most of the students really took the spirit of the game to heart, it seemed--especially the jury, who did a good job policing the answers. But, I think the rules of the game need to be a little more defined; it turned into more of a discussion (which is great!) than a game in which …
The Cultural Context of the Renaissance
Today in 203, I'm planning a competitive quiz game of sorts based on the introductory readings in the Norton anthology--I've never done this before, but I've been trying to break out of my lecture mode. So, we'll see what happens! I'd like to divide the class into two (or three) groups, which can gain points …
Theater History: The Use of Theater?
The first evening of Theater History, we went over the syllabus as usual, spending a bit of time going over each of the texts we're reading and the major assignments--students seemed interested in the performance project option, though I think many will choose to do the essay, instead. We're starting with the typical, ancient Greek …
World Lit, Day 1
The first day of my early modern world literature class went pretty well, I think; it was great to see both the familiar faces and the unfamiliar faces. One student in class is distantly related to Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, one seems really interested in reading The Rape of the Lock, and almost …
Comp 102: Introductions, Overview
I think the first class of our comp 102 course went swimmingly, though I miscalculated a bit on the time and we went over by a few minutes. We did the typical first day dance, going over the syllabus, but we also began thinking about the first project--which I hope the students will find enjoyable, …
First day of a new term
Tomorrow is the first day of a new term, and I'm equal parts excited and nervous, as usual. I'm teaching three classes at Marymount University, including Composition II, Early Modern World Literature, and Theater History. I'm trying something new with my composition course this term; instead of just working from a rather arbitrary topic of …
Teaching the Looong Eighteenth Century
“Teaching the L-o-n-g Eighteenth Century” 2008 EC/ASECS, Georgetown University Roundtable Remarks Lisa asked us to think about how we teach long works in our period, and I was struck by the fact that when I first saw the call for papers, I immediately thought of how my students perceive length. I teach at a small, …
Irregular Theater, the Discourse of Farce, and Hogarth’s Line of Deformity
2007 ASECS, Atlanta GA “‘To Exhibit a Dumb Shew’: Hogarth and the Theater” Handouts “Irregular Theater, the Discourse of Farce, and Hogarth’s Line of Deformity” During the first half of the eighteenth century, a brand of so-called “irregular” theatrical entertainment—popular, not always licensed or legitimate, both “English” and “foreign”—made its problematic way into the public …
Continue reading "Irregular Theater, the Discourse of Farce, and Hogarth’s Line of Deformity"
Tonya Howe 