ENGL 268Reading Drama

3 credits · English · Penn State

Reading Drama is a course that will cover elements of drama including plot, character, dialogue, staging, and dramatic forms in primarily British, American, and other English-language traditions. Students will explore different techniques for reading drama through a literary lense, including the overlap of reading for history, reading for theory, reading for pleasure, and reading as a preparation for the eventual staging of drama. Students can expect to encounter a range of drama presented in such a way that learning outcomes explore historical trends, artistic movements, critical reception, and drama's effect on culture, society, politics, and art. Students will by the end of the course have a solid foundation in comparing and contrasting styles of drama and will also be able to engage in the scholarly dialogue of analyzing dramatic literature to a depth that goes beyond appreciating the entertainment value of a good play.