AJ24077 Drama and Science: Scientific Issues in Contemporary Anglo-American Drama

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2006
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Drábek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D.
Timetable
Tue 15:00–16:35 G21
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course deals with contemporary Anglo-American drama. It focuses on the plays that can be considered "scientific", or, as some authors say, "science-plays". It is based on close and critical readings of the plays and secondary sources dealing with theory of drama and popular science. Through analysis and interpretation, it arrives to conclusions about how science is applied in playwriting, how it is used in performance, what the influence of scientific issues is on drama, and what are the possible ways for a playwright/director/actor to approach scientific elements in a theatrical piece.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Connection of Literature and Science -C. Marlowe: Doctor Faustus -C.J. Horne: Literature and Science -A. Huxley: Literature and Science
  • 3. Copenhagen (Frayn) part one -Act One -Postscript to Copenhagen -Elegant Universe: Chapters 4, 5
  • 4. Copenhagen - part two -Act Two
  • 5. Proof (Auburn) -the whole play
  • 6. Immaculate Misconception (Djerassi) -the whole play
  • 7. Gödel, Escher, Bach (Hofstadter) part one -selected chapters
  • 8. Gödel, Escher, Bach part two -selected chapters
  • 9. Arcadia (Stoppard) - part one -Act One -reviews and articles -Chaos (Gleick): ch. 1, 2
  • 10. Arcadia - part two -Act Two -Edwards, Kelly, Demastes -Chaos: ch. 3
  • 11. Arcadia - part three -reread the whole play -Chaos: ch. 4
  • 12. Hapgood (Stoppard) -the whole play
Literature
  • Marlowe : Dr. Faustus (Variant.) : Christoper Marlowe : Dr. Faustus. info
  • Auburn, David. Proof. New York: Faber and Faber, 2001.
  • Frayn, M. Copenhagen. New York: Anchor Books, 1998.
  • HOFSTADTER, Douglas R. Gödel, Escher, Bach :an eternal golden braid. New York: Basic Books, 1999, xxi, 777 s. ISBN 0-394-75682-7. info
  • STOPPARD, Tom. Arcadia. London: Faber and Faber, 1993, 97 s. ISBN 0-571-16933-3. info
  • STOPPARD, Tom. Hapgood. London: Faber and Faber, 1988, 89 s. ISBN 0-571-15160-4. info
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on course enrolment limitations: Předmět si nemohou zapsat studenti Bc. studia AJ
Teacher's information
http://www.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/category.php?id=4
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2005.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2006/AJ24077