ETS 152 American Tragedy: O'Neill & Miller

May 14-18 10 a.m.-noon

and continuing via email.svsternl@hotmail.com

DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS

Instructor: S. Sternlicht Office 429HL 315 443-9480

Home 315 472 5639

English Office 443 2173

Fax 315 443 3660

Webpage: consult for links to research sources

http://web.syr.edu/~svsternl

Texts: O'Neill: Long Day's Journey into Night,

Miller: All My Sons

Miller: Death of a Salesman.

Sternlicht: A Reader's Guide to Modern AMERICAN Drama

This course begins with a discussion of Tragic Theory: the history, development, constructs, and aesthetics of tragedy, which is, after all, a literary form just as comedy is. Then follows an introduction to the two greatest American writers of tragedy: Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller. O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night and Miller's All My Sons and Death

of a Salesman will be introduced as play texts within their historical contexts. When the course goes online, students will study the three plays in depth and write a 1500 word essay on each.

During the first week the lecture/discussion classes will include these topics:

Drama Theory: What Is a Play?

Aristotle and the Poetics

Tragedy, Myth, and the Archetype

Shakespearean Tragedy

Freud and Tragic Theory

Tragedy and Moral Law

The Tragic View of Life

Backgrounds to American Drama

Existential Tragedy

A Feminist Perspective on Tragedy.

Life and Work of Eugene O'Neill

Life and Work of Arthur Miller

:Requirements:

Students are required to attend all five class lecture/discussions. Absence will result in grade loss.

Students will then read/re-read the three plays in this order: Long Day's Journey into Night, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman, and write three essays as mentioned above. Discussion through the listserv will help in the development of the essays. Essays are to be submitted in order. Due dates: 1-6/10; 2-7/8; 3-7/29. Late essays will be penalized.

Essay Choices

Long Day's Journey into Night

Father-Sons Relationship

Mother-Sons Relationship

How Is LDJ an Irish-American Tragedy?

Is LDJ Biography?

Is Mary a Tragic Figure?

All My Sons

What Is the Social Context and Message of the Play?

Individuality vs the Common Good

What Is a Father's Responsibility?

What Is Tragic about the Play?

Death of a Salesman

Is Willy a Tragic Hero?

Is Linda a Tragic Heroine?

Father and Sons

What Is the Social Context and Message of the Play?

Film Versions Available

Long Day's Journey into Night

All My Sons

Death of a Salesman