NCHU Course Outline

Course Name	(中) 戲劇導讀(二)(2041)
Course Name	(Eng.) Introduction to Drama (II)
Offering Dept	Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Type	Elective	Credits	3	Teacher	HSIEH,HSIN-YI
Department	Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures/Undergraduate	Language	English	Semester	2026-SPRING
Course Description	"Introduction to Drama (II)" is a one-semester course, open to second-year (and above) undergraduates who are interested in both the historical and literary development of Western drama, theatre, and play in the twentieth century. The course focuses on a wide selection of dramatic works written in English and draws on fundamental knowledge of genres, theories, and social issues to guide students in approaching the assigned plays—whether tragedies, comedies, or works in between—both as readers and as audience members. In addition to Harold Pinter, one of the most influential contemporary British dramatists who engaged with the European trend of “the theatre of the absurd,” which was prominent in the late 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, “Introduction to Drama (II)” primarily focuses on modern American playwrights from World War I through the final two decades of the twentieth century, including women and Black writers. Contemporary issues such as warfare, economic depression, domestic conflict, personal and social disillusionment, racial discrimination, gender issues, and the loss of social status and cultural identity pervaded the theatrical world of this period. Susan Glaspell, Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Lorraine Hansberry, David Rabe, Marsha Norman, and August Wilson, working in relation to realism, naturalism, expressionism, impressionism, and absurdism, all contributed significantly to the development of modern American drama and theatre.
Prerequisites				self-directed learning in the course	Y

Relevance of Course Objectives and Core Learning Outcomes(%)

Teaching and Assessment Methods for Course Objectives

Course Objectives

Competency Indicators

Ratio(%)

Teaching Methods

Assessment Methods

1. Develop an understanding of major twentieth-century English and American dramatic texts and their twenty-first-century adaptations.
2. Analyze plays and adaptations in relation to genre, form, and performance.
3. Examine how social, cultural, and historical contexts shape modern English and American drama and its contemporary re-workings.
4. Engage with critical theories relevant to modern English and American theatre and adaptation studies.
5. Strengthen critical reading, discussion, and analytical writing skills through the study of dramatic texts and adaptations.

1.Foreign language skills

2.Professional expertise

topic Discussion/Production

Exercises

Discussion

Lecturing

Written Presentation

Attendance

Oral Presentation

Assignment

Study Outcome

Course Content and Homework/Schedule/Tests Schedule

Week	Course Content
Week 1	A. General Introduction & Course Orientation B. Grouping (Ps. A more detailed version of syllabus will be introduced in class and uploaded to iLearning when the new semester commences.)
Week 2	A. The history of early American drama, theatre, and plays B. Trifles (1917)—Susan Glaspell C. Discussion: significant trifles vs. trifle significance
Week 3	A. Desire under the Elms (1924))— Eugene O’Nell B. Discussion: Greek tragedy vs. modern naturalistic tragedy
Week 4	A. Desire under the Elms (1924))—Eugene O’Nell B. Discussion: Greek tragedy vs. modern naturalistic tragedy
Week 5	A. The Glass Menagerie (1944)—Tennessee Williams B. Discussion: a mixture of the past and the present without the future
Week 6	A. The Glass Menagerie (1944)—Tennessee Williams B. Discussion: a mixture of the past and the present without the future
Week 7	A. Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter (1957) and “the theatre of the absurd” B. Discussion: “the theatre of the absurd”
Week 8	A. Death of a Salesman (1949)—Arthur Miller B. Discussion: the father-son relationship vs. a social and family misfit
Week 9	A. Death of a Salesman (1949)—Arthur Miller B. Discussion: the father-son relationship vs. a social and family misfit
Week 10	A. A Raisin in the Sun (1959)—Lorraine Hansberry B. Discussion: “black drama”
Week 11	A. A Raisin in the Sun (1959)—Lorraine Hansberry B. Discussion: “black drama”
Week 12	A. Sticks and Bones (1971)—David Rabe B. Discussion: warfare and domesticity
Week 13	A. Sticks and Bones (1971)—David Rabe B. Discussion: warfare and domesticity
Week 14	A. Marsha Norman’s ’Night, Mother (1983) B. Discussion: female characters, the mother-daughter relationship, and the meaning of life C. Final Project Preparation
Week 15	Final Project Presentation
Week 16	Final Result (Online)
self-directed learning	02.Viewing multimedia materials related to industry and academia. 03.Preparing presentations or reports related to industry and academia.

Evaluation

A. Attendance, Pop Tasks, and Class Participation 40 %
B. Weekly Quizzes 20%
C. Final Project 40%

Textbook & other References

1. Jordan Y. Miller, The Heath Introduction to Drama, 5th ed., (Lexinton: Heath, 1996).(or, any online editions of selected plays, ex. Amazon Kindle or Google Books).
2. Some supplementary materials will be available on iLearning.

Teaching Aids & Teacher's Website

NCHU iLearning (https://lms2020.nchu.edu.tw/)

Office Hours

15:00-17:00, Tuesday

Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs(Link URL)

01.No Poverty 03.Good Health and Well-Being 04.Quality Education 05.Gender Equality 08.Decent Work and Economic Growth 16.Peace and Justice

include experience courses：N

Please respect the intellectual property rights and use the materials legally.Please respect gender equality.
Update Date, year/month/day：2026/01/12 11:40:03	Printed Date, year/month/day：2026 / 3 / 10
The second-hand book website：http://www.myub.com.tw/