I love this, and not just because I make a guest appearance at the end. :) I think immediately of works that have employed this approach, of working backward in time, to great effect. Pinter's *Betrayal*, probably his most accessible play, achieves real power. Less consistently, when it works, which I 've seen it do, Sondheim's *Merrily We Roll Along* does the same. And when you think about it, surveying English literature like this replicates the whole human knowledge project of digging ever deeper into the soil or penetrating farther backwards in space and time. And the way you explain the gradual increases in understanding from smaller scale contrasts makes perfect sense. I'm eager to follow along and read your reports. And thank you for that kind recommendation. Your stack of the week is a generous idea. I'll have to find a way to replicate it without simply copying youI
I guessed as much as you'll be taking an anti-chronological approach! And I think it works wonderfully. I think going backwards, from familiar to unfamiliar to completely alien, is a good way to teach the history of literature and how it has evolved.
Like you said, comparing mozart to metallica is nearly impossible - and likewise I think having to answer a question like "how does Beowulf differ from the modern novel?" is impossible if you havent got a clear idea of what a modern novel is. Besides, I think going backwards is much more interesting overall, and maybe a little less boring.
You can start with something familiar and exciting like Emma, and then delve deeper into the unfamiliar (who, except us theatre kids, have actually read Twelfth Night?) but still keep that excitement, and when you land on Beowulf at the end it's like you've gone through an archeological excavation of literature!
Anyway, that's my two cents:) Can you tell I would love to take your class? haha
I love this, and not just because I make a guest appearance at the end. :) I think immediately of works that have employed this approach, of working backward in time, to great effect. Pinter's *Betrayal*, probably his most accessible play, achieves real power. Less consistently, when it works, which I 've seen it do, Sondheim's *Merrily We Roll Along* does the same. And when you think about it, surveying English literature like this replicates the whole human knowledge project of digging ever deeper into the soil or penetrating farther backwards in space and time. And the way you explain the gradual increases in understanding from smaller scale contrasts makes perfect sense. I'm eager to follow along and read your reports. And thank you for that kind recommendation. Your stack of the week is a generous idea. I'll have to find a way to replicate it without simply copying youI
Thanks, Jay! I'm glad the anti-chronology idea makes sense. Feel free to borrow or steal whatever you like; I know you'll put it to good use :)
Maria Dahvana Headley has a very fun translation of Beowulf. She translates that opening “hwaet!” to “bro!”
But the whole thing is redolent with the heroics of the original, the alliterations and rhythms, and it’s pretty fantastic overall.
Yes, I’ve heard about that one. I need to seek it out!
Brilliant idea! An intellectual family tree. Love it.
Thanks! It seemed to work pretty well last spring. Students really got into Emma, so they were engaged from the start.
I guessed as much as you'll be taking an anti-chronological approach! And I think it works wonderfully. I think going backwards, from familiar to unfamiliar to completely alien, is a good way to teach the history of literature and how it has evolved.
Like you said, comparing mozart to metallica is nearly impossible - and likewise I think having to answer a question like "how does Beowulf differ from the modern novel?" is impossible if you havent got a clear idea of what a modern novel is. Besides, I think going backwards is much more interesting overall, and maybe a little less boring.
You can start with something familiar and exciting like Emma, and then delve deeper into the unfamiliar (who, except us theatre kids, have actually read Twelfth Night?) but still keep that excitement, and when you land on Beowulf at the end it's like you've gone through an archeological excavation of literature!
Anyway, that's my two cents:) Can you tell I would love to take your class? haha
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed. Read along if you like :)