LIT 83 — Great Modern British and American Plays Since Shaw
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Michael Krasny
Date(s): Jan 15—Mar 19
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $560
Refund Deadline: Jan 17
Unit(s): 2
Status: Cancelled
Quarter: Winter
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 15—Mar 19
Unit(s): 2
Tuition: $560
Refund Deadline: Jan 17
Instructor(s): Michael Krasny
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Cancelled
Throughout the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the drama of the English-speaking, post-Shakespearean world was dominated by Nobel laureate playwright George Bernard Shaw. Sixty Shaw plays were produced for the stage and often became the gold-standard texts for studying dramatic literature, which began to see major changes following World War II. Work by British, Irish, and American playwrights began to hold sway and establish an exciting new body of modern and postmodern drama highlighted by revolutionary form and language-breaking drama, such as in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (1949) and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot (1952). We will study and do close readings of those two texts as well as eight additional masterful and enduring plays from this period, including works by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill, Edward Albee, Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Tony Kushner, August Wilson, and Caryl Churchill.
MICHAEL KRASNY
Professor of English, Emeritus, SF State
Michael Krasny is a literary critic, scholar, and broadcast journalist. He is the author of many books, including Off Mike, Spiritual Envy, and Let There Be Laughter; the co-author of Sound Ideas; and the creator and presenter of the audio lecture series Masterpieces of Short Fiction. He is the host of the podcast Krasny Conversations and former host of Forum on KQED Radio.Textbooks for this course:
(Required) Eugene O'Neill, Long Day's Journey into Night (ISBN 978-0300093056 )
(Required) Tennessee Williams , A Streetcar Named Desire (ISBN 978-0141190273)
(Required) Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman (ISBN 978-0141180977)
(Required) Samuel Beckett , Waiting for Godot (ISBN 978-0802144423)
(Required) Harold Pinter, The Homecoming (ISBN 978-0802151056)
(Required) Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (ISBN 978-0802126214)
(Required) Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (ISBN 978-0451218599)
(Required) Caryl Churchill , Top Girls (ISBN 978-0413554802)
(Required) August Wilson, Fences (ISBN 978-0452264014 )
(Required) Tony Kushner, Angels in America (ISBN 978-1559363846)
(Required) Tennessee Williams , A Streetcar Named Desire (ISBN 978-0141190273)
(Required) Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman (ISBN 978-0141180977)
(Required) Samuel Beckett , Waiting for Godot (ISBN 978-0802144423)
(Required) Harold Pinter, The Homecoming (ISBN 978-0802151056)
(Required) Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (ISBN 978-0802126214)
(Required) Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (ISBN 978-0451218599)
(Required) Caryl Churchill , Top Girls (ISBN 978-0413554802)
(Required) August Wilson, Fences (ISBN 978-0452264014 )
(Required) Tony Kushner, Angels in America (ISBN 978-1559363846)