English Theater, Literature, and Art in London

PROGRAM DATES

The dates will correspond approximately with the spring term dates at Carleton, 2006.

DIRECTOR

Professor Nancy Cho

Nancy Cho, Associate Professor of English, teaches courses in American Literature, Asian American Literature, and Contemporary Drama. Her current research involves ethnicity and theater in relation to defining an American identity.

PREREQUISITES

The seminar is open to students in any major at Carleton. Prior to the start of the program, all participants are expected to have completed English 110 or 111, or another literature course.

OVERVIEW

Literature and theater flourish in London. London has a rich literary past and present, and is home to every variety of theater artist. The goal of the London program is to immerse the students in the best and most varied performances the city has to offer, and to make use of local museums and other cultural sites to enhance our study of British literature.

COURSE OF STUDY, 15 CREDITS

ENGLISH 290-17: DIRECTED READING

(3 CREDITS, S/CR/NC)

Students will read selected books and essays intended to provide them with a background for the program; the works will focus on British history and theater and will include one or two literary pieces. A list of these works, chosen for their relevance to the two main courses, will be distributed at the end of fall term 2005, and an examination on the reading will be given at the beginning of spring term 2006.

Instructor: Nancy Cho

ENGLISH 380-07: LONDON THEATER

(6 CREDITS)

The group will attend productions of classical and contemporary plays in London and Stratford-on-Avon. Class discussions and papers will compare and contrast dramatic genres, acting styles, and production design. Guest actors, critics, and directors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, and the wider theatrical community will join students for selected classes.

Instructor: Nancy Cho and local faculty

ENGLISH 381-07: EMPIRE AND MODERN BRITISH LITERATURE

(6 CREDITS)

From visions of the Orient and Africa’s “heart of darkness” to more recent postcolonial fictions, the history of imperialism has profoundly influenced British literature. The course begins with a brief examination of selected Romantic and Victorian poets, and will then focus on modern and contemporary novels and plays. Authors will likely include Caryl Churchill, Joseph Conrad, E.M. Forster, Rudyard Kipling, Jean Rhys, Salman Rushdie, and Zadie Smith, among others. The group will also use museums, art galleries, and other historic sites in order to enrich our understanding of the foundations and current reality of London’s multicultural diversity. Instructor: Nancy Cho and local faculty

HOUSING

Students will stay in double, triple or quadruple rooms at Pickwick Hall, 7 Bedford Place, London WC1B 5JE, conveniently located in central London, near the British Museum and within walking distance to a number of London theaters. Students will have breakfast at the hotel and eat lunch and dinner on their own with an allowance provided by the program. The hotel includes a common kitchen, a lounge, laundry

facilities, and high-speed internet access with two computers on site.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Classes will meet Monday through Thursday mornings in a seminar room at the Swedenborg Society, a short walk from the Pickwick.

EXCURSIONS

Group excursions will likely include trips to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-on-Avon, Oxford, and possibly the Lake District, as well as visits to London museums, historic houses, and other sites of literary interest. There will be a one-week mid-term break that will permit time for individual travel. Students may, of course, travel on their own either before or after the seminar.

EXPENSES

The fee will be the same as the regular college fee – that is, one third of Carleton’s comprehensive fee for 2005-2006. Room and board, all theater and other tickets, group travel while in England, and many incidental expenses are included. Students are responsible for books, personal expenses, and their own travel to and from London.

APPLICATONS

There will be two rounds of applications: spring term and fall term 2005. It is expected that the majority of participants will be selected from applicants who apply by

May 3, 2005; the remaining places will be filled in the second round early in the fall term.

The spring term application deadline is Tuesday, May 3, 2005. Application forms are available from the Office of Off-Campus Studies, Leighton 119.

There will be an information meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 12-1 PM, location TBA.

If you have immediate questions about courses, please email Nancy Cho, ncho@carleton.edu. Other questions may be addressed to the Office of Off-Campus Studies.