POST-1865 and DIVERSITY.

Topic: American Dramas.

A nation defines itself on its stage, and so we will read plays from the past one hundred years and consider how each one represents America. This class requires active engagement beyond weekly discussions.  Students will perform scenes collaboratively online, record monologues, and design visual images as part of their dramatic interpretations. Playwrights include August Wilson, Tony Kushner, David Henry Hwang, Donald Margulies, Quiara Alegria Hudes, Lynne Nottage, Larissa FastHorse. This class is fully online.

POST-1865.

This in-person class will cover literature written in England between 1798 and 1914. We will read poetry, drama and fiction by a diverse selection of English writers, reading the texts with a historical approach. We will consider the Romantic movement in poetry; the Victorian age; and The Age of Decadence. Writers include Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Tennyson, Christina Rossetti, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Shaw, Wilde and Forster.

Can you explain the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs? Between complements and objects? Between clauses and phrases? Between active and passive voice? This grammar class will teach you how.

English grammar is a fascinating subject that transcends questions such as, "Is it ok to end a sentence with a preposition?" Even the simple rules are not as simple as you might think. Experts often disagree, for example, about where to put the comma. Unfortunately, many self-appointed grammar cops know little about how the English language actually works.

It is true that if you're a native speaker of English, you're already an expert. However, this expertise is "innate"--it isn't conscious knowledge, but subconscious knowledge. In this class, you'll learn to consciously understand how your language works so you can enhance your own communication skills.

Making the transition from subconscious to conscious knowledge may not be easy. For one thing, whatever conscious knowledge you already have may be clouded by inaccuracies, even folklore.  Since this class is based on research about how good speakers and writers actually use English, you may find it difficult because it’s not what you're used to. For another, making the transition to conscious knowledge will require frequent practice. Because of this, you'll be expected to complete several assignments every week, and you'll be encouraged to complete additional practice exercises on your own.

Please note: Writers benefit from studying grammar in the same way that athletes benefit from studying anatomy. Grammar isn't a "how to write" class any more than anatomy is a "how to play your sport" class, but knowing how English works can help you write more effectively.  Because this course covers a vast amount of material, you should expect to complete dense reading assignments, numerous homework assignments, and challenging exams.