HPR 319U (3 cr.)

Dramatic Disease

 

 

Professor Judith Swift

Office: 874-4809 E-mail:  jswift@uri.edu  

Office Hours: Monday 2-3, Wednesday 1-3 and by appointment

Office Location: 308A Independence Hall

Monday, 4-6:45pm     Lippitt 211

Materials and syllabus: www.uri.edu/artsci/com/swift

 

 

 

 

Course Description: In-depth study of plays, novels, films or adaptations that focus on disease and related social attitudes and taboos.  You will explore the cultural and historical impact of disease, e.g. as weapons of war, as well as shifting attitudes and prejudices; the socio-economic aspects of disease; and the role of the arts and literature in reinforcing stereotypes or achieving enlightenment about the victims of disease.  You will present and share perspectives and insights by creating an open and nonjudgmental learning environment.

 

Goals

·      Gain insight into how disease victimizes beyond the effects of a virus or bacteria.

·      Discern the role of disease in perpetuating socio-economic distinctions.

·      Define the ethical implications of charging for medical care, the disparity of health insurance coverage, the perpetuation of the haves and have-nots.

·      Develop a broader understanding of the politicization of disease.

·      Develop a broader understanding of the role of arts and literature in social awareness of disease.

·      Develop skills in the analysis of artistic works.

 

 

Weekly Activity:

 

Week

Content

Assignments GIVEN or DUE

 

 

 

Jan. 28

²     Introduction to disease as a social taboo, source of ostracism, political tool, weapon of war and socio-economic phenomenon.

Complete survey

 

 

Feb. 4

²     Discussion of Ghosts

Read Ghosts

Feb.11

²     Discussion of Wit and viewing of film

Read Wit

Feb. 18

²     Discussion of Raft of the Medusa

Read Raft of the Medusa

Feb. 25

²    Torch Song Trilogy, watch film and discuss

Response essay on Wit

Mar. 4

²   Discussion of Miss Evers’ Boys and viewing of film

Read Miss Evers’ Boys

Mar. 11

²   SPRING BREAK

Postcards to professor

Mar. 18

²   Discuss Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Response essay on Miss Evers’ Boys

Read Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Mar. 25

²   View and discuss Philadelphia

Read related materials on AIDS

Apr. 1

²  Discussion of Rent; book and musical selections

Read Rent

Response essay on modern society’s responsibility to disease and the ill to be posted to listserv as attachment for class to read.

Apr. 8

²     Discussion of response essays and related readings

Read response essays

Apr. 15

²     Discussion of A Question of Mercy

Read A Question of Mercy

Apr. 22

²     View The Madness of King George, begin discussion

 

Apr. 29

²     Discussion of mental illness and associated social attitudes and taboos.

Readings on mental illness, student researched

May 6

²     Mini-presentations on topic of choice as step toward synthesis.

Mini-presentations

May 17

 

²    Final exam 3:00-6:00 p.m.

²    Can move to earlier common exam time if everyone agrees.  See www.uri.edu/es/calexams/schedules/SpringExams.html to figure out your final exam commitments now.

Final Project due

 

 

General Notes:

There is a significant amount of reading in this class.  I advise you to get on it right away.  This syllabus is an outline of proposed events.  It is subject to change.  I will never change it to make anything due earlier for you.  I may change the order of things to allow for a special opportunity or to allow additional exploration on a particular topic.  I will supply additional readings along with those you are asked to research.  I expect everyone to use e-mail regularly in order that we can communicate efficiently with each other.  We will also use the listserv as a tool to increase class discussion by posting additional ideas, observations, questions and insights.  If you need to see me, drop by during office hours or call or e-mail and I’ll get you in as quickly as possible. 

 

 

Course Requirements:

·      Read and be prepared to contribute to lively discussions of the plays and other in-class exercises.

·      Write response essay on Wit.

·      Write response essay on Miss Evers’ Boys.

·      Response essay on modern society’s responsibility to disease and the ill.

·      Mini-presentations

·      Final Exam/Project.

 

All writings will, of course, be word-processed and use correct grammar, spelling, etc., with references and resources properly credited. I will always give a suggested length but the final determinant of length is that it be adequate to address the assignment.  In other words, you determine the length based on your assessment of how best to complete the task, which will be addressed in greater detail through the listserv notice you will receive for each of the above.  Assignments should be turned in as attachments via e-mail to jswift@uri.edu.  There is no need for hard copy.  Always list Assignment #___ (fill in the blank) in the subject line and save the attached file to read: YourFirstNameLastInitial.HPR.Asign#__(fill in the blank)  Example: JaneD.HPR.Asign#1

 

 

Reading/Film List:

 

Rent by Jonathan Larson, Evelyn McDonnell, Kathy Silberger, Larry Fink

William Morrow & Co; ISBN: 0688154379

 

Four Major Plays : A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, the Master Builder, (Oxford World's Classics) by James McFarlane (Translator), Jens Arup (Translator), Henrik Johan Ibsen Paperback (May 1998)

Oxford University  Press (Trade); ISBN: 0192833871

 

Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein-film

 

Philadelphia (1994) – film, starring: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, et al. Director: Jonathan Demme

 

A Question of Mercy by David Rabe, Richard Selzer; Paperback - (February 1998)

 

Angels in America : Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner, Paperback - (April 1993)

 

Miss Evers' Boys by David Feldshuh.-script and film

 

Raft of the Medusa by Joe Pintauro

 

Wit by Margaret Edson script and video

 

The Madness of King George - film

 

Relevant material including books, films, journal, magazine and newspaper articles.

 

 

Grading:

 

·      In-class discussion and participation         20%

·      Response essay #1                                    15%

·      Response essay #2                                    15%

·      Response essay #3                                    15%

·      Mini-presentation                                      15%

·      Final exam/project                                     20%

 

Overall evaluation will be based on grades of the written projects outlined above, committed completion and quality of the final project, as well as regular class attendance and participation.

 

Communication: I expect everyone to use e-mail—direct to me for papers or personal notes, inquiries and listserv for general issues and postings—in order that we can communicate efficiently with each other.  We will use this tool to increase class discussion by posting additional ideas, observations, questions, jokes, and insights.  If you need to see me, stop by during office hours, call or e-mail and I’ll get you in as quickly as possible. 

 

Listserv:  There is a listserv for this class at HPR319U@pete.uri.edu.   The listserv will be used by me to post important notices and extended information on assignments.  You may also post to the list but realize that it goes to the entire class.  Group posting is useful for questions to which everyone might want the answer.  The list also allows you to communicate with groups for project work.  Papers should not be e-mailed to the list.  Send them directly to me at jswift@uri.edu.  Please use the list considerately so you do not clutter everyone’s mailboxes with extraneous materials.  Your thoughts on a given topic are not extraneous but welcomed and expected.

 

Attendance: Attendance is expected. You are upperclass Honors students and I assume you want the stimulation of class discussion with a professor and your peers.  If you will not attend on a given day, please call or e-mail.  Absences will hurt your grade because class participation is an important aspect of my evaluation of your work.  If you are working on a group project and do not show to work with your group, that counts doubly against you.  Groups cannot function as teams if they do not support each other with respect.  “Blowing the team off” is disrespectful.

 

Honor Code: I expect each of you to contribute his/her own work; however, I also encourage you to work together to solve problems, achieve solid analysis, critique performances, and even to prepare and explore the theses of your essays.  I also expect that you will all be direct about crediting yourself and/or others about completed work.  There is nothing wrong with assisting each other.  The only caveat is to acknowledge that assistance.  With regard to group work should the final project move in that direction, you will be required to sign a contract agreeing to be responsible for disclosing the amount of your work and to be forthright about how much you did or did not contribute.  This saves each of you from ever having to be in the awkward position of reporting or covering for another student.  I also know each of you want to be honorable in your individual or group projects.  On the other hand, if a student violates rules pertaining to plagiarism or cheating, I will report that student to the appropriate university authorities.  I will do this because it is no favor to cover for a person who acts dishonestly.  We call this enabling.  It is also unfair to the students in the class who come by their grade honestly.

 

Philosophy of Teaching:  I am interested in an engaging, active partnership of learning in which I rediscover and discover aspects of these works of art as vehicles for examining human behavior along with you.  I am also interested in these films and plays as a springboard for the exploration of a wide range of topics from historical events to contemporary issues.  The potential for exploring and discovering new paths into the question of human suffering and compassion is exciting. However, just as no one is responsible for our individual happiness but us, no one is responsible for our intellectual excitement.  I can bring mine to the classroom but you also need to be prepared to risk exposing and exploring yours.  Learning should be fun and painful—thinking ‘til it hurts—and addictive.  I look forward to the time we will have together examining the question of the unavoidable in life—disease.

 

Special Needs:  If you have any special circumstances arising from a disability, please let me know how I can assist you.  As stated in the University Manual: “The student with a disability shall be responsible for self-identification to the Disability Services for Students in the Office of Student Life, providing appropriate documentation of disability, requesting accommodation in a timely manner, and follow-through regarding accommodations requested.”  In other words, it is your responsibility to make arrangements for any special needs and my responsibility to accommodate them with the assistance of the office of Disability Services for Students.

 

Materials:  please go to www.uri.edu/artsci/com/swift to locate Writing Manual, the syllabus and other relevant materials as we progress.

 

Some useful resources:

 

BBC, Monday, 8 October, 2001, Cultural taboos increase women's HIV risk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1584000/1584525.stm

 

HIV and Aids: Stigma and Discrimination

http://www.avert.org/aidsstigma.htm

 

History channel: Homosexuality

http://www.historychannel.org/classroom/index.html

 

Disease and Class: Tuberculosis and the Shaping of Modern North American Society (Health and Medicine in American Society) by Georgina D. Feldberg

 

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts

 

Disease & History by Frederick F. Cartwright, Michael Biddiss

 

Human Frontiers, Environments and Disease by A. J. McMichael, Tony McMichael

 

Fictions of Disease in Early Modern England: Bodies, Plagues and Politics by Margaret Healy

 

The Dread Disease: Cancer and Modern American Culture by James T. Patterson

 

Viruses, Plagues, and History by Michael B. A. Oldstone

 

Wreck of the Medusa, The Tragic Story of the Death Raft. Alexander McKee. Penguin Putnam, 1975