Students were roundly applauded for their written work which was superb. Most students transformed the ambiguous tangle and narrative chaos of their original essays into works of precision and clarity. I was seriously pleased with the quality of the work.
Marlowe's Faustus was the main focus of the first session and students were introduced to Scene Three within which Faustus summons Mephistophilis. Students were asked to focus upon the representation of Mephistophilis and to be aware of how Marlowe shapes the character of this 'unhappy spirit'. Furthermore, students were offered a beginner's guide to the history of British blasphemy laws with the aim of illustrating the SHOCKING nature of Marlowe's play. Thomas Aikenhead received the death penalty for blasphemy in Edinburgh in 1697, Edward Moxon was found guilty of blasphemy in 1841 after publishing P.B.Shelley's Queen Mab and forced to remove the offensive passages, and in 1921 John Gott became the last person in Britain to be imprisoned for blasphemy. The class were also made aware of the Christian context and the fact that Marlowe panders to the protestant sensibility. For example, Mephistophilis reappears as a Franciscan Friar which is loaded with controversial religious symbolism. Students need to be aware of the historical context of this play.
The second section of the lesson was an exploration of Chapters 11/12/13. The focus of the discussion was the question: HOW DOES SHELLEY CREATE A SENSE OF SYMPATHY FOR THE CREATURE IN CHAPTERS 11/12/13?
HOMEWORK: Students are expected to create a three/four paragraph response with precise conclusion to the Frankenstein question that was the focus of class discussion in the second session. Detailed guidance notes will be posted to Be Curious asap. Students should download the notes. HERE IS THE DOWNLOAD:
Furthermore, students need to be preparing their Anthology coursework. First drafts will be expected before the end of this term.
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