Readings
Okay the following is a proto-list of the books, plays and poems I will be doing. (&) is the week in which I will be doing them, any one can join and post whether they are reading the same plays and poems as I am, or if they are reading different ones within the loose structure of the weekly chronology.
So for example if you’ve read something on Shakespeare you want to post, then post it in week five, or if you have a Donne poem you like or have done an analysis thereof, then post it in week 10.
Most of the texts are available in full text off the net, or if you are like me and you like the smell, feel and texture of a proper book, then hit up some second hand books stores, in particular Paper Back Palace in Penrith (9808 4000) or Gould’s in Newtown (9519 8947) is a cheap repository of Literature (32 King St, Newtown, half way between the Uni and the station) Libraries are another good alternative
Week = (&)
Middleton
(1) - The Revenger’s tragedy
(2) - The Changeling
- Women beware women
Webster
(3) - The White Devil
- The Duchess of Malifi
Shakespeare
(4) - Hamlet
- Cymbeline
- The Tempest
Marlowe
(5) - Edward the 2nd
- The New Mermaids
(6) - Dr Faustus
Anatomy (poetry)
(7) A brief look at the anatomy and forms of poetry, in particular the sonnet, beginning with The Petrachan, Spensarian, and Shakeserian, dealing with poets thereof, and tracing the origin back to Italian sonetto
Johnson
(8) - Volpone
- The Alchemist
Probably (I’m still trying to track down a collection of his plays and have a read through to see what would be most interesting to study)
(9) Epigrams
Donne
(10) Poetry
Epigrams, sonnets, elegies and obsequies.
I might take a shot at his songs of metempsychosis (On the progress of the soul) if I am feeling overtly ambitious.
Rochester
(11) Poetry and verse, but focusing on his major works
- A ramble in St James Park
- A Satyr against mankind
- To all ladies, Gents and. . .
Dryden
(12) Songs, odes and lyrical pieces.
- Fables
- Maybe one or two of his prologues and epilogues.
- A break down of his essay on dramatic poesy (This should give my Latin a little bit of a work out, and I might have to go back and re-do some Horace and Aristotle)
Milton
(13) Poems and sonnets
(14) - Paradise Lost
(15) - Paradise Regained
All freaking 400 pages of it. (maybe, I’ll give it a shot)