Unit Outline

This unit provides opportunity to study a selection of Shakespearean plays and their stage and screen performance afterlives. Starting from a close consideration of Shakespeare's dramatic language, the unit will consider the multiple possibilites the plays offer for realization in performance. Students will explore a range of issues associated with the development of Shakespeare's scripts for performance, such as the differences between stage and screen adaptation, the relationship between Shakespeare's language and the visual language of film, and the ways in which Shakespeare adaptations reflect changing cultural perspectives and preoccupations.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Analyse Shakespearean texts and their screen adaptations through use of the critical apparatus supplied in recent editions, and close attention to elements of form, structure and style in the selected plays and their screen adaptations
2.	Demonstrate knowledge of significant aspects of the plays (including language, characterization and ideas), ways in which the plays have been adapted for film, and key theories relevant to the study of Shakespeare and Shakespeare on film
3.	Construct an argument supported by evidence from your chosen texts and reference to secondary sources
4.	Communicate and critically reflect upon learning through scholarly written and oral form, as appropriate

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	25 credit points at Introductory level or higher

Alterations as a result of student feedback

The English program takes student feedback seriously, and welcomes your ideas about improving our units. Units are reviewed regularly in line with University of Tasmania policy. Following student and tutor feedback, a formal explication writing task was replaced with continuous participation and in-class assessment. This is in line with pedagogy around constructive alignment, and rewards continuous effort and engagement.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Research essay or Unessay	Week 14	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Tutorial/ Online Audiovisual Presentation	Refer to Assessment Description	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Seminar/ Online Participation	Refer to Assessment Description	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Research essay or Unessay

Task Description:

Research essay or Unessay

Task Length:

3000 words

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Essay - Construct a critical argument about your chosen text/s, supported by evidence from the primary texts.	LO1, LO2
2	Essay - Support your argument with reference to secondary critical and/or historical sources.	LO3
3	Essay - Communicate ideas in the form of a written essay that meets the task requirements; adheres to conventions of written English (word choice, grammar, punctuation and spelling).	LO4
4	Essay - Use MLA style for presentation and referencing.	LO4
5	Unessay - Devise a creative response that demonstrates critical and active engagement with the Shakespearean texts, their contexts, and/or their adaptations	LO1, LO2, LO3
6	Unessay - Creatively reflect on the texts’ contexts and/or interpretations through your response	LO2
7	Unessay - Employ your chosen medium effectively to communicate your ideas	LO4
8	Unessay - In an accompanying written statement, critically reflect on how you approached adapting the text in your creative response, and explain its relationship to the unit’s themes, with reference to secondary critical materials.	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: Tutorial/ Online Audiovisual Presentation

Task Description:

Tutorial/ Online Audiovisual Presentation

Task Length:

1000 words

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Prepare a written script for oral delivery of an academic argument that articulates knowledge of your topic based in close reading of the primary texts, and theoretical knowledge pertaining to contemporary Shakespeare studies	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Deliver an oral presentation (either live or recorded audiovisual), using presentation software of your choice (eg PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi)	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
3	Employ appropriate and effective techniques for academic oral/audiovisual presentation	LO4
4	Facilitate critical debate through discussion questions and/or group activities	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Seminar/ Online Participation

Task Description:

Seminar/ Online Participation

Task Length:

1500 words equivalent

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Participate constructively, inclusively, regularly, and in a timely fashion in group discussions (10%)	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
2	Demonstrate analysis of and critical engagement with the set texts and learning materials through offering relevant ideas, interpretations and questions in group discussion (10%)	LO3, LO4
3	Complete written reflections on the texts and themes of each module (4 in total, approximately 250 words each). (10%)	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

You will need copies of the following plays, preferably in the following editions:

• William Shakespeare, Richard III. Ed John Jowett (Oxford UP)

• William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing. Ed Sheldon P. Zitner (Oxford UP)

• William Shakespeare, Othello. Ed. Michael Neill (Oxford UP)

• William Shakespeare, Macbeth. Ed. Nicholas Brooke (Oxford UP)

The above editions represent fully-researched, stable versions of our set texts, and have excellent scholarly apparatus (introductions, notes, & further reading) that help with studying Shakespeare. But Shakespeare is available in multiple editions so if you have access to other editions, please make use of them!

You can if you wish make use of the free online editions at Internet Shakespeare Editions: https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/

You will need to watch the films and filmed stage performances listed in the unit schedule. Many are available as DVDs through the UTAS Library or through the Library’s Digital Theatre+, Kanopy and ClickView subscriptions (where this is the case I will provide a link through MyLO). Alternatively, many are accessible through streaming services or online film rental services such as YouTube or iTunes. In one case (The Tragedy of Macbeth, 2019), the film is only available on AppleTV. You can get a free 7 day trial for this service which will enable you to watch the film for class and take thorough notes, should you wish to write on it.