Universität Wien

123220 SE Literature Seminar / BA Paper / MA British/Irish/New English (2014S)

Metatheatre/Metadrama

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 11.03. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 18.03. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 25.03. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 01.04. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 08.04. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 29.04. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 06.05. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 13.05. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 20.05. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 27.05. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 03.06. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 17.06. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
  • Tuesday 24.06. 10:00 - 12:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course is dedicated to the study of a phenomenon which may variously be paraphrased as: metadrama, plays within plays, theatereality, manifestations of the topos of theatrum mundi etc.
Plays to be discussed in detail: Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher, "The Knight of the Burning Pestle" (1607/1613); Tom Stoppard, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" (1966); Michael Frayn, "Noises Off" (1981); Enda Walsh, "The Walworth Farce" (2006). The film "Seven Psychopaths" (2012; dir. Martin McDonagh) will also be included as a recent manifestation of this "meta-thing".

NB: Students wishing to register early and ready to take on one of the topics for oral presentations in March/April are kindly asked to contact Prof. Huber via e-mail wern.huber@univie.ac.at ASAP.

Preliminary Course Outline (topics for early registration):
March 11: Introduction (Huber)
March 18: (1) Metadrama/Metatheatre: Definitions
(2) Metafiction: Self-Conscious Narration
March 26: (3) Beaumont & Fletcher: A Bio-Bibliographical Survey (= Life and Works)
(4) "The Knight" and Literary Tradition (Quixotism)
April 1: (5) Pastiche, Parody, Travesty: Definitions

Assessment and permitted materials

Regular attendance, active participation in class, PowerPoint presentation, research paper (ca. 20 pp.), written final written test.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

We will attempt an analysis of 'self-reflexive' plays ranging from the relatively straightforward use of the 'theatre within the theatre' device (e.g. the Players in "Hamlet", the so-called rehearsal plays) to the sophisticated and self-conscious laying bare of dramatic genre conventions and the problematising of the 'reality' of fictional worlds (theatre as theatre, e.g. Stoppard, Frayn). Another line of inquiry will be the question why 'metatheatre' manifests itself most convincingly in the modes of satire, farce, and parody, as demonstrated by the plays selected.

Examination topics

Class discussion of plays and selected scenes; student presentations on selected topics.

Reading list

Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" is easily available as Reclams Fremdsprachentext # 9185.
A customised anthology will be available from StudienServiceStelle Anglistik after Feb 28. Further material for obligatory and ancillary reading will be provided on an e-learning platform. Therefore, students are asked to familiarise themselves in advance with the MOODLE platform. For introduction and self-guided tour, please see <https://elearning.univie.ac.at/ >.

Association in the course directory

Studium: UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: UF4.2.4-322, BA10.2, MA4, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0374

Last modified: Th 09.01.2025 00:16