the psychology of the tragic hero - Dickinson College

SHAKESPEARE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE TRAGIC HEROEnglish 392-01,Fall 2002Prof. David KranzEast College 405EC 307 (x1219)MWF 11 Office Hours: M 2-5,or by appointmentREQUIRED TEXTSHall, C.McDonald, R.Shakespeare, W.A Primer in Freudian PsychologyThe Bedford Companion to ShakespeareA Midsummer Night's DreamHenry the Fourth, Parts 1 & 2HamletOthelloMacbethCoriolanusSelected videotapes, reserve readings, and handouts.RECOMMENDED TEXTSA good dictionary and thesaurusGibaldi, Achtert, eds. The MLA HandbookDESCRIPTIONThe brilliant literary polymath Harold Bloom, reader of densenovels at a single sitting, memorizer of half their pagessimultaneously, a MacArthur Fellow and former professor atHarvard and Yale, states without qualification that "Shakespeareis the Western Canon." What makes Shakespeare distinctivelynumber one is his "power of representation of human characterand personality." Without Shakespeare, Bloom contends, therewould be no Freud.This course will begin with the assumption that Bloom is right.We'll look at Shakespeare's deepest probes into the souls ofhumanity: the tragic heroes. From Julius Caesar to Cleopatra,from Romeo to Macbeth, we'll explore the psyches of the Bard'sheroes, using 20 th -century psychological theorists (e.g., Freud,Lacan, Winnicott, Chodorow) as guides. Simultaneously, however,we'll test Bloom's contention that psychology is the source ofShakespeare's greatness. Opposing theories of dramaticcharacter, contending perspectives suggesting both formal and

cultural limits to Shakespeare's originality, and differentviews of the essence of Bardolatrous primacy will be consideredalongside the Bloomian paradigm. In addition, to help make theplays come alive, cinematic versions will occasionally be shown,and a field trip to see a Shakespearean production is possible.TENTATIVE SCHEDULEDate Class AssignmentSept 2 Introduction None4 Shakespeare’s Life/Work McDonald, 1-28, 40-57, andskim 29-39, 58-73.Shakespeare in Love(optional)6 Shakespeare and Sex Sonnet 129 (handout)29 Theatre and Nature A Midsummer Night’s Dream: 1-11 Asinine Love MSND: 3 and 413 Reason & Imagination MSND: 5; Hall’s MSND (video)16 Critics on Comedy MSND: pp. 113-35and18 Shakespeare's Genres McDonald: 151-170, 180-201and Words skim 171-79, 202-22020 Freud’s View of Mind C. Hall, 11-3523 Freud’s Psychodynamics C. Hall, 36-7125 F’s Psyche Development C. Hall, 72-12227 Neo-Freudian Views 1 Reserve Reading30 Neo-Freudian Views 2 Reserve Reading

Oct. 2 Psychoanalyzing Xters Reserve Reading4 Characters in History 1HenryIV: 17 Three World-views 2HenryIV: 2 and 39 Vice as Virtue 1HenryIV: 4 and 511 Critics in Conflict 1HenryIV: pp. 202-2214 Fathers and Power 2HenryIV: 1 and 216 Denial of Falstaff 2HenryIV: 3-518 Take-Home MIDTERM Write short essay/answers(no class)21 FALL PAUSE (no class) None23 Critics: Psychohistory 2HenryIV: pp. 199-211, 234-4825 Early Modern England McDonald: 221-37 and skim238- 5028 English Cultural Context McDonald, 251-74, 297-319,and skim 275-96, 320-4130 The Unweeded Garden Hamlet: 1 and 2Nov. 1 The Prince Uncut Hamlet: 3-5; Branagh's Hamlet(video)4 The Prince Analyzed Hamlet: pp. 191-2326 Prince Psychoanalyzed Reserve Reading8 Psychoanalysis on Film Olivier's Hamlet (video)11 Royal Possession Macbeth, 1-313 Supernatural Soliciting Mac., 4-515 Cycle of Blood Polanski's Macbeth (video)

18 The Mask of Masculinity Macbeth: pp. 157-8520 Age, Race, Occupation Othello: 1-222 Warrior Insecurities Othello: 3-525 Psychology of Parker’s Othello (video)FaithlessnessResearch Paper (10-15 pp.)27,29 Thanksgiving VacationDec. 2 Critical Conflict Othello: lxiii-lxxiv, 188-2104 The Roman Psyche Coriolanus: 16 Boys to Men Coriolanus: 2-39 Power of the Mother Coriolanus: 4-511 Critical Conflict Cor.: pp. 244-61 and ReserveReadings13 Conclusion: The TragicPsyche in Shakespeare Review Study Questions19 FINAL EXAM (2:00 p.m.) Review Study QuestionsREQUIREMENTS1. Attend class! More than three unauthorized cuts, forwhatever reasons, will result in an automatic failing grade inclass partication. By the way, I take attendance in bothobvious and invisible ways.2. Participate actively in discussions, whether or not youhave been assigned a particular role for any given class.Improved oral communications and "thinking on your feet" areimportant ingredients in a liberal education and useful skillsboth in academe and beyond.

3. In order to participate actively, you must completeassigned reading, viewing, research, or rehearsal before theappropriate meeting. Evidence of preparation will influence theparticipation component of your final grade. Brief informalwritten assignments will assist you in finding something to saywhich is "fully baked." Use this written work, along with notestaken on texts, to increase the sophistication and cleararticulation of your comments in class.4. Complete, in a timely fashion, brief oral and writtenexercises, the take-home midterm, the paper, and the final exam.Late papers will receive a failing grade. If late papers arenot turned in by December 13, or if the midterm is not completedon October 18, or if the final exam is not completed on December19, you will fail the course.GRADE WEIGHTINGPercentages: Class preparation and participation, 30%including brief written and oral exercisesMidterm20%Paper 25%Final Exam 25%Policy: I shall take into account your progress (or regress)through the semester, not merely your accumulated grades.PLAGIARISM AND CHEATINGPlagiarism and cheating are defined for you in the currentDickinson College Student Handbook. I shall enforce thosedefinitions. If you have any questions on what and/or how tofootnote a source, please see me well before work requiringcitation is written.INVITATIONSI very much enjoy talking about Shakespeare informally. If youwish, I am available for conversations over lunch or at othertimes, in Dickinson buildings or more imaginative surroundings.Please ask me.