Essays

You will write five four-paragraph essays, including the Final essay. Each is worth 20 percent of the overall semester grade. 

The overall idea should answer our perennial prompt: How does this movie help us understand Shakespeare’s play? 

Do not generalize or waste space on summary. Better to focus on two or three scenes and bear down on them in depth. 

You can dive into key scenes and quote from the play starting in the first paragraph. 

You may compare scenes from our other films, especially in later essays. 

Pair key moments from the movie with their relevant scene in the play and quote from the play. You have latitude with dialogue that is not in the play. Your quoting does not have to be perfect—just what you remember. 

You need to cite from secondary sources—I will let you decide how much. You may use something from our critical edition or something you found on your own, especially a book from the Moffett stacks or a scholarly article from the Moffett-supported databases.  

Tentative daily schedule:

Jan 14 Mon Branagh’s Hamlet

Jan 16 Wed Branagh’s Hamlet

Jan 21 MLK Day

Jan 23 Wed Branagh’s Hamlet

Jan 28 Mon Branagh’s Hamlet

Jan 30 Wed Branagh’s Hamlet

Feb 4 Mon Branagh’s Hamlet

Feb 6 Wed Branagh’s Hamlet

Feb 11 Mon Essay 1 Due

Feb 11 Mon Haider (Shahid Kapoor)

Feb 13 Wed Haider

Feb 18 Mon Haider

Feb 20 Wed Haider

Feb 25 Mon Essay 2 Due

Feb 25 Mon Legend of the Black Scorpion (Daniel Wu)

Feb 27 Wed Legend of the Black Scorpion

Mar 4 Mon Legend of the Black Scorpion

Mar 6 Wed Legend of the Black Scorpion

Mar 11 Mon Essay 3 Due

Mar 11 Mon Hamlet 2

Mar 13 Wed Hamlet 2

Mar 18-22 Spring Break

Mar 25 Last Day for W

Mar 25 Mon Zeffirelli's Hamlet (Mel Gibson)

Mar 27 Zeffirelli’s Hamlet

April 1 Mon Zeffirelli’s Hamlet

April 3 Wed Zeffirelli’s Hamlet

April 8 Mon Essay 4 Due

April 8 Mon RSC's Hamlet (David Tennant)

April 10 Wed RSC’s Hamlet

April 15 Mon RSC’s Hamlet

April 17-19 Holiday Break

April 22 Mon RSC's Hamlet

April 24 Wed Olivier's Hamlet

April 29 Mon Olivier’s Hamlet

May 1 Wed Olivier’s Hamlet

May 8 Wed Final Essay Due at 5:45 PM in our regular classroom.

You will write five four-paragraph essays, including the Final essay. Each is worth 20 percent of the overall semester grade. 

Five unexcused absences means 10 percent off the overall semester grade. Students who miss class should inform the instructor by email, even if they feel their excuse is lame. The professor will accept documentation in the form of cellphone pictures of clinic sign-in sheets, court dates, prescription labels, repair receipts, and work schedules; he will accept emails from family members, lawyers, and supervisors. Many times students are helping family members or friends in crisis, which is legitimate. Each case is different. If students are amassing a string of absences, the professor may ask for retrospective documentation to keep the unexcused number below five.

Students must submit their work on due dates in person: not by surrogate, not under my door, not left on a desk, and not by email attachment. The late penalty is 10 points out of 100. Students may also ask for input on a working draft by email attachment. However, the professor may not have enough time if the student sends it too close to the due date.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.