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This page includes a schedule of class topics and objectives.

This class focuses on a time and place of seminal importance in the development of modern science, technology and theater in the west: England during the seventeenth century. The century begins with the revolutionary Renaissance writing of Francis Bacon and William Shakespeare, whose world is then transformed by every kind of upheaval: Civil, philosophical, political, religious, epidemiological, you name it. Great change in both thought and society were catalyzed by a moment in which the very nature of the cosmos and humanity's place in it shifted.

It is a time of schisms. Charles I of England is beheaded and a new government, a Commonwealth, rules England headed by the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. Physics will begin to unbraid itself from metaphysics. Chemistry will begin to emerge from alchemy. The bloody battleground of the Puritan Revolution will find its reflection in a battle over how knowledge and authority are determined. And central to all of this will be the question: Where is God in the equation?

"Whereas...the distracted estate of England, threatened with a cloud of blood by a civil war, calls for all possible means to appease and avert the wrath of God,...it is therefore thought fit and ordained by the Lords and Commons in this Parliament assembled, that... public stage plays shall cease and be forborne." A Puritan Parliament issued this edict in September 1642. The theaters would not be officially reopened until 1660 with the restoration of Charles II to the throne of England, in one of his first acts as king. This seems an improbable time, then, to choose for an examination of theater. It is, however, in this liminal time (a time of transition) that we can examine theater in its most deeply rooted context. We know the plays that precede the closing, we know the plays that follow the end of theater's "Time of Silence." In this class we will look closely at the contextual world that creates the plays on both sides of the rupture.

The primary theme of the class is to explore a world turned upside down, with special attention to the "theatricality" of the new models and perspectives afforded by scientific experimentation. Its primary goal is to comprehend this time in its complexity and interconnectedness. We aim for intellectual and experiential fullness (which will likely result in a little chaos) rather than in a linear simplicity (which would be easier and less confusing). But there is nothing easy about making great theater or great drama, and it is all too easy to fail because one has failed to appreciate and harness the underlying causes and conditions that create a theatrical world. The same may hold true for great science, and great social change.

To this end, our readings and discussions will explore topics in history, religion, natural philosophy, mathematics, literature, cosmology, alchemy, plays, theater history and cultural history. We will examine a great number of source texts, from Shakespeare and Ford to Tate and Behn, and from Bacon and Burton to Hobbes and Boyle. These will be supplemented by critical and contextual readings by writers of our own time. As well, we will read contemporary plays by Brecht, Kushner, and Churchill that wrestle with this period and with science. Guest speakers will share with us expertise in their fields-from history, to chemistry, to playwriting. The goal is for you to gain expertise and insight that you will demonstrate in two short papers, in a longer analytical paper (that will undergo two drafts), in intense daily conversations, in two oral presentations (leading to an optional Wikipedia entry), in the creation of a group timeline, and finally in the creation of theatrical scenes. These we will rehearse and present to an invited audience in a workshop reading at the end of the semester.

A final note on theater and the inspiration for this class: No theater is only about the past; it is always about our present. Just as we will explore this period for its context, we will always be drawing analogies to our present, most especially in class discussions and in the scenes you write.

In addition to our group participation in these ventures - and adventures - we ask you to keep these five objectives of the subject in mind:

1. To provide the tools and nurture your ability to read a variety of genres (including drama, philosophical essays, and scholarly writing) more seriously, pleasurably, and critically; we hope this will encourage you to remain a reader of challenging material throughout your life.
2. To increase your consciousness of historical, political, scientific, philosophical, religious and artistic questions and approaches to the world, so that you can function more sensitively, intelligently and effectively in the world.
3. To encourage a clearer understanding of your own personal skills and creativity, increasing your self-awareness and the accuracy of your self-analysis, so that you can sustain a realistic sense of confidence and are better positioned to achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.
4. To improve and refine your abilities to express and communicate ideas, feelings, and arguments effectively and persuasively, so that you can know what you believe and can contribute and lead as a member of a team or community.
5. To encourage your understanding and enjoyment of the past and present, of art and science, of individual achievements and the shaping role of social organizations-and your awareness of the relationships among all of the above.

Brecht, Bertolt. The Life of Galileo. Translated by R. Manheim and J. Willett. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing, 1994. ISBN: 9781559702546.

Churchill, Caryl. "Light Shining in Buckinghamshire." Plays: One. London, UK: Methuen, 1985. ISBN: 9780413566706.

Ford, John. 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and Other Plays. Edited by Marion Lomax. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 9780192834492.

Kushner, Tony. Death and Taxes: Hydriotaphia and Other Plays. New York, NY: Theatre Communications Group, 1998. ISBN: 9781559361569.

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. Edited by R. A. Foakes. London, UK: Arden Shakespeare, 1997. ISBN: 9780174434603.

Behn, Aphra. "The Rover." In The Rover and Other Plays. Edited by Jane Spenser. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 9780192834515.

Assignments in these books, required for purchase, will be supplemented by many other readings.

We use the word "read" in a variety of ways, and we will be practicing a variety of reading methods in this subject. You will be skimming, dipping into, appreciating and on occasion thoroughly dissecting diverse genres of written texts.

When we say read a play carefully, we mean:

1. Read through the entire play quickly, as if you were an audience member watching it take place before you (i.e., read sequentially and don't worry about every detail or go back over a scene studiously-though try to attend to as many clues and dimensions of the script as you can). Consider the play's sequence and impact.
2. Re-read slowly and analytically, looking for meanings, patterns, poetry, characterization and themes, and studying the sections that confused you. Consider the play's artistry and ideas, and the moment-by-moment unfolding of the action.

Through the MIT libraries database, you can find several useful tools to help you pursue your research. Among them: The OED (Oxford English Dictionary), the standard for historical study of words; the MLA (Modern Language Association) bibliography, with links to scholarly articles and books we own as well as many more available through Interlibrary Loan; and EEBO (Early English Books Online), a remarkable resource claiming to include scanned copies of all books printed in England before the Restoration.

This is a HASS-D (Category 3)/CI subject. In this class, CI requirements will be satisfied by:

1. A minimum of 20 pages of writing in 3-5 assignments.
2. Revision and resubmission of the analytic essay.
3. An oral component including two oral presentations and two performed scenes.

This subject requires that you be willing to try to think deeply, pursue research independently, write cogently, play constructively, and contribute creatively to daily discussion and all group projects.

You can't put on a play if the actors don't show up. You can't pass this class if you aren't here to participate in discussions, group work, and performances. It's that kind of class.

Similarly, you cannot participate well if you are asleep, nearly asleep, or woozy with illness or exhaustion. Please take care of yourself-which obviously includes your body. Bring (unobtrusive) food and drink to class if this is helpful.

Written work should be typed or word-processed (double-spaced, with standard margins and font sizes).

Approximate valuation for grading purposes:

The Literature Section has formulated this statement and policy for all plagiarism cases:

Plagiarism-use of another's intellectual work without acknowledgement-is a serious offense. It is the policy of the Literature Faculty that students who plagiarize will receive an F in the subject, and that the instructor will forward the case to the Committee on Discipline. Full acknowledgement for all information obtained from sources outside the classroom must be clearly stated in all written work submitted. All ideas, arguments, and direct phrasings taken from someone else's work must be identified and properly footnoted. Quotations from other sources must be clearly marked as distinct from the student's own work. For further guidance on the proper forms of attribution, consult the style guides available in the MIT Writing and Communication Center and the MIT Web site on Plagiarism.