Birth of Modern Drama: Ibsen and Strindberg

Transcription

1 Birth of Modern Drama: Ibsen and Strindberg Semester and Year: Fall 2015 Credits: 3 Credit Course Time and place: Tuesday and Fridays in Room 10B-14 Prerequisite: A literature course at university level Instructor: Morten Egholm Ph. D., Film Studies, University of Copenhagen, Cand. mag., Scandinavian Studies, Film and Media Theory, University of Copenhagen, Associate professor, Danish Language, Literature and Culture, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, Has written several articles in Danish, English and Dutch on film history, Danish literature, Danish drama, and Danish TV series. Currently also lecturing at the Film and Media Department at University of Copenhagen. With DIS since Description of course Provocateurs, rivals, and literary masterminds: Scandinavian authors Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg s influence on modern drama, writing, and thought cannot be underestimated. Both men were (in)famous for their controversial views toward women: while Ibsen was agitating for female emancipation, Strindberg is often seen as a misogynist. Despite their differences, Ibsen and Strindberg were on parallel missions to expose the darker sides of their fellow Scandinavians. This course will provide an in-depth study of their most important works. DIS contacts: Karen Søilen, EH Assistant Program Director Edward Daschle, EH Program Assistant

2 Course Objectives During the course you will be able to: Analyze major themes, ideas, narration strategies and biographical elements in the plays of Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg. Discuss the two playwrights influence on modern theatre and its different traditions (absurd drama as well as psychological realism) Identify classical dramaturgical strategies in drama with Ibsen and Strindberg as case studies Demonstrate specific knowledge of the historical context of The Modern Breakthrough in Scandinavia and a general understanding of Scandinavian literature from 1850 to Course Format The course will include lectures and discussions of plays as well as theoretical and literary historical literature. Most classes will concentrate on analyzing and discussing one specific play. Course Requirements: Students are expected to participate actively in class and on field studies, and to do the readings before class. There will be a midterm test consisting of essay and short answer questions, and a short paper focusing on one or two of the plays read in class. There will also be 10 small student presentations focusing on specific aspects of the authors and/or the texts read in class. Finally, there will be a research paper of 10-12pages (double-spaced). The purpose of the research paper is for the students to work independently and in-depth with a topic of their choice and interest. The paper shall have a clear focus and is expected to contain a description, analysis and critical discussion of a theme related to the course. I will schedule individual consultations with students who wish to discuss their paper topic in advance. Field studies September, 22, pm: Performance of A Doll s House with Teatergrad, Time TBA, a random place in Copenhagen September, 23, : Watch an adaptation of A Doll s House and visit The National Gallery of Copenhagen (with special focus on paintings of The Modern Breakthrough) November, 25, 1-4 pm: Watch film adaptation of Edward Albee s Who s Afraid of Virginia Wolf

3 An up to date performance of A Doll s House with the mobile theatre Group Teatergrad Evaluation Grade Components Short paper 20 % Midterm 25 % Small presentation in class 10 % Research Paper 30 % Participation 15 % Short Paper An essay of 5 pages (double space). TOPIC: Compare two of the texts we have read in class and relate them to some of the most important ideas of The Modern Breakthrough. The short paper is due Friday, September, 25 Midterm The test consist of questions of relatively simple facts (e.g.: What year did Ibsen write his first naturalist drama?), questions of more complex character (e.g.: Define Ibsen s retrospective method), and questions to be answered with a short essay (e.g.: How does Strindberg in general depict women in his plays?). The answers will be weighted differently. The midterm takes place in class Friday, October, 16

4 Small Presentation in class minutes in class. Individual or in a group of two. Choose from the following topics: 1) September, 15 The Tarantella Dance in A Doll s House 2) September, 15 Toril Moi s analysis of A Doll s House 3) September, 18 Introduction to Strindberg s life and work 4) September, 18 Strindberg s view on marriage in his short story A Doll s House 5) October, 9 Analysis of the Gregers Werle character in The Wild Duck 6) October, 13 Gender roles in The Father 7) October, 27 Strindberg s own dramaturgical and thematic visions with Miss Julie 8) November, 20 Hedda Gabler compared to other Ibsen female protagonists 9) November, 24 Introduction to modernist and absurdist theatre 10) November, th and 21 st Century artists inspired by Ibsen and Strindberg Research Paper The topics for the research paper are decided by the student and the instructor together. Normally, it would be on (or relate to) subjects and texts dealt with in the course. It is of course also possible to write about other topics/plays/texts by agreement with the instructor. The Research Paper is due last day in class, December, 4. You can choose between ing me a digital copy or hand in a hard copy in class Suggested structure of your paper: 1. Table of contents. 2. Introduction: Presentation of the subject to be investigated. An overview of the contents. A comment on the methodology. 3. Description and analysis: Comments, discussions, comparisons. 4. Summary and conclusion. 5. Notes & Bibliography. The paper should be based on the required reading, the additional reading found in the DIS library and/or The Royal Library in Copenhagen, the texts read in class and/or texts by your own choice. In the introduction and description, the factual material is presented. The main emphasis, though, should be on the analysis that is; your personal discussion of the material. It is necessary to present the substance of the topic through paraphrasing and quotations (remember, always to footnote/endnote sources of direct quotations), but it is not sufficient only to paraphrase. The analysis of the material your personal understanding and interpretation is the important part of the paper. Length: type written pages of 300 words per page.

5 Readings Works by Ibsen & Strindberg: Henrik Ibsen: The following 7 Ibsen plays will be read in class: Peer Gynt (1867), A Doll s House (1879), Ghosts (1881), A Public Enemy (1882), The Wild Duck (1884), Hedda Gabler (1890), and When We Dead Awaken (1899). August Strindberg: The following 4 Strindberg texts will be read in class: A Doll s House (1884), The Father (1887), Miss Julie (1888), and A Dream Play (1901). Further reading: Albee, Edward (1962): Who s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?, Longman, New York Aristotle (c.335bc): Poetics, online version Billington, Michael (2003): The Troll in The Living Room, article in The Guardian, February, 2003, London Bryan, George B. (1984): An Ibsen Companion. A Dictionary-guide to the Life, Works, and Critical Reception of Henrik Ibsen, Greenwood Press, London Downs, Brian W. (1978): Ibsen. The Intellectual Background, Octagon Books, A Division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York Egan, Michael (1972): Ibsen. The Critical Heritage, Routledge and Kegan Pual, London and Boston Freytag, Gustav (2008 (1863)): Freytag's Technique of the Drama: An Exposition of Dramatic Composition and Art, BiblioBazaar, New York Haugen, Einar (1979): Ibsen s Drama. Author to Audience, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis Ionesco, Eugene (1959): Rhinoceros, Langman, New York Lide, Barbara (2010): Strindberg s Ibsen: Admired, Emulated, Scorned, and Parodied, New York University Press Moi, Toril (2006): Henrik Ibsen and The Birth of Modernism, Oxford University Press Pontoppidan, Henrik ( (2010)): Lucky-Per, Peter Lang Publishing, New York Prideaux, Sue (2012): Strindberg, A Life, Yale University Press, New Haven & London Stenport, Anna Westerståhl & Eszter Szalczer (2012): August Strindberg. A Hundred Years Legacy, Scandinavian Studies, Fall 2012, Volume 84, Number 13

6 Course schedule: 1) Friday, August, 21: Introduction to the course and the two playwrights. How did they see each other? Readings: Michael Billington: The Troll in The Living Room (2003), in Text Binder Barbara Lide: Strindberg s Ibsen: Admired, Emulated, Scorned, and Parodied (2010), in Text Binder 2) Tuesday, August, 25: Introduction to classical drama theory: Aristotle, The Classical drama, The Naturalist drama, The Modern/Absurd drama Readings: Aristotle: The Poetics, p (Chapter XI-XVI), on Blackboard Gustav Freytag: Freytag s Dramatic Structure (Plot-Pyramid), in Text Binder 3) Friday, August, 28: Introduction to The Modern Breakthrough in Scandinavia. Ideas, influences, and genres Readings: Henrik Pontoppidan: Lucky-Per (Chapter 1), in Text Binder Toril Moi: Henrik Ibsen and The Birth of Modernism (2006), chapter 3: Rethinking Literary History, p ) Tuesday, September, 1: Pre-naturalist, nationalist and idealist Ibsen. General introduction to Ibsen. Readings: Henrik Ibsen: Peer Gynt (1867). NB! Read The Norton Edition! George B. Bryan: Ibsen the Dramatist (1984) in: An Ibsen Companion, p. xiii-xxix, in Text Binder 5) Friday, September, 4: First and foremost a human being Reading: Henrik Ibsen: A Doll s House (1879). NB! Read The Norton Edition! September, 7-13: Core Course Week 6) Tuesday, September, 15: Female Emancipation and A Doll s House as a modernist work Reading: Toril Moi: Henrik Ibsen and The Birth of Modernism (2006), chapter 7,p ) Friday, September, 18: Strindberg s response. Introduction to Strindberg Readings: August Strindberg : A Doll s House (1884), in Text Binder Sue Prideaux: Strindberg A Life (2012), chapter 2: The Son of a Servant, p.24-38, in Text Binder

7 8) Tuesday, September, 22: "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children" Reading: Henrik Ibsen: Ghosts (1881) Field Study: September, 22, pm: Performance of A Doll s House at Teatergrad. Place TBA, random apartment in Copenhagen Field Study: September, 23, : Watching an adaptation of A Doll s House, and a guided tour at The National Gallery 9) Friday, September, 25: Ghosts to be continued. Watch rest of A Doll s House adaptation Hand in THE SHORT PAPER: Compare two of the texts we have read in class and relate them to the ideas of The Modern Breakthrough September, 26 October, 4: Travel Break 10) Tuesday, October, 6: The strongest one is the one who stands alone Readings: Henrik Ibsen: A Public Enemy (1882) 11) Friday, October, 9: Taking away the life lie from the average man. Readings: Henrik Ibsen: The Wild Duck (1884) Toril Moi: Henrik Ibsen and The Birth of Modernism (2006), chapter 8: Losing Touch with the Everyday, p ) Tuesday, October, 13: The Fall of a Patriarch Reading: August Strindberg: The Father (1887) 13) Friday, October, 16: Written Midterm in class, 80 minutes October, 17-25: Travel Break 14) Tuesday, October, 27: Life is not so idiotically mathematical that only the big eat the small Reading: August Strindberg: Miss Julie (1888)

8 15) Friday, October, 30: Miss Julie to be continued Reading: Sue Prideaux: Strindberg A Life (2012), chapter 1: Miss Julie s Kitchen, p.1-23, in Text Binder. 16) Tuesday, November, 3: Miss Julie to be continued Watch Liv Ulmann s Miss Julie (2014) 17) Friday, November, 6: Introduction to the research paper. Prepare idea presentation or hand in synopsis/outline November, 8-16: Travel Break 18) Tuesday, November, 17: Henrik Ibsen and the nihilistic view on marriage Reading: Henrik Ibsen: Hedda Gabler (1890). NB! Read the Norton Edition 19) Friday, November, 20: Hedda Gabler to be continued 20) Tuesday, November, 24: Strindberg and Surrealism Readings: August Strindberg: A Dream Play (1901) Robert Allen: Earthbound: Strindberg s Dream Play Reimagined for the Era of Digitial Media Convergence (2012), in Text Binder Field Study: November, 25, 1-5 pm: Watching Who s Afraid of Virginia Wolf 21) Friday, November, 27: Ibsen and Strindberg s legacy Readings: Eugene Ionesco: Rhinoceros (1959, extract), in Text Binder Edward Albee: Who s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (1962, extract), in Text Binder 22) Tuesday, December, 1 When we dead awaken.... We see that we have never lived Reading: Henrik Ibsen: When We Dead Awaken (1899) 23) Friday, December, 4: Conclusion of the course