2012/05/06

What I've Done So Far

Beloved Reader,
It has been quite some time since my last blog entry. Many things have happened since, I have moved to Lingling, Hunan in China and started teaching oral English at a high school and I found this to go quite well with my studies. I only have to work 15 hours each week but earn enough money - for local standards - to lead a comfortable life. I have to save most of the money, though, so that I will be able to pay my tuition fees later this year and the examination fees next year. Many of my fellow students have just written their first exams this past week but I had decided a while ago that I will only start writing exams next year.
Having settled down and having a regular working schedule I have also started to study regularly. In one of the e-seminars that the University of London offered in December, January and February, one of the teachers suggested a time management technique, called the 'Pomodoro Technique', which has since helped me to keep track of my studies and to keep focused on the material during my study sessions. The basics of this technique are to set a timer to 25 minutes, study (or do whatever you have to do) efficiently, then take a 5 minute break. For more information check out http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/. I have adapted the technique to my own needs and am very happy with the results. Not only do I keep track of my studies now - I know exactly what I have done - but also can I work a lot more efficiently now than before.
I started studying and using this technique on March 3rd and have since studied about 27 hours each week on average. And that's not 27 hours of 'derping' around, no. That is 27 hours of actual study time. 
In the beginning of March I made a study plan for the whole year until the exam time in May 2013. I once mentioned that I'm not good at sticking to plans but with the 'Pomodoro Technique' I have been able to stick to it so far. The plan - in short - gives me 1 month per book in Explorations 1 and 2 and 40 weeks instead of just 20 for Approaches to Text and Renaissance Comedy. 
Here are the bibliographies for the books, articles, etc. that I have read in those 9 weeks (all but for Approaches to Text):

Week 1-4

Explorations in Literature 1

Shakespeare, William - The Tempest

Primary Literature
  • Shakespeare, William. "The Tempest", ed. Peter Holland; New York: Penguin Putnam Inc. (2002)
Secondary Literature

Explorations in Literature 2

James Joyce - A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Primary Literature
  • Joyce, James. "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". New York: Dover, 1994.
Secondary Literature

Renaissance Comedy

General History and Theatrical Conditions of English Renaissance Drama

  • Gurr, Andrew. "Introduction." The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2009. 1-37. Print.
  • Gurr, Andrew. "The Players." The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2009. 100-138. Print.
  • Gurr, Andrew. "The Playhouses." The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2009. 139-208. Print.
  • Foakes, R. A. "Playhouses and Players." The Cambridge Companion to English Renaissance Drama. By A. R. Braunmuller and Michael Hattaway. Cambridge [England: Cambridge UP, 1990. 1-52. Print.
  • Hattaway, Michael "Drama and Society." The Cambridge Companion to English Renaissance Drama. By A. R. Braunmuller and Michael Hattaway. Cambridge [England: Cambridge UP, 1990. 91-126. Print.
  • Levenson, Jill "Comedy." The Cambridge Companion to English Renaissance Drama. By A. R. Braunmuller and Michael Hattaway. Cambridge [England: Cambridge UP, 1990. 263-300. Print.
  • Raffel, Burton. "Some Essentials of the Shakespearean Stage." A Midsummer Night's Dream (Annotated Shakespeare). By William Shakespeare. Ed. Burton Raffel. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 2005. Xxxvii-xxix. PDF.

Cultural and Literary Contexts Pertaining to English Renaissance 

  • Alexander, Michael. A History of English Literature. London: Macmillan, 2000. PDF.
  • Dillon, Janette. "Chronology of Events." The Cambridge Introduction to Early English Theatre. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2006. 225-49. Print.
  • Engel, William E. "Historical Contexts for the Age of Shakespeare." The Shakespeare Handbook. By Andrew Hiscock and Stephen Longstaffe. London: Continuum, 2009. 26-45. Print.
  • Longstaffe, Stephen. "Shakespeare's Literary and Cultural Contexts." The Shakespeare Handbook. By Andrew Hiscock and Stephen Longstaffe. London: Continuum, 2009. 46-68. Print.
  • Rozakis, Laurie. "Shakespeare's Life and Times." The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare. New York, NY: Alpha, 1999. 1-82. PDF.

Week 5-8

Explorations in Literature 1

Shakespeare, William - Hamlet

Primary Literature
  • Shakespeare, William "The Tragical History of Hamlet Prince of Denmark", ed. A. R. Braunmuller; New York: Penguin Putnam Inc. (2002)
Secondary Literature
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The Renaissance Context." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 1-5. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Heroism in the Renaissance epic tradition." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 5-11. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Tragedy and Renaissance man." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 11-15. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The place of Hamlet in Shakespeare's career." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 15-20. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The problem of Hamlet." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 20-25. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Hamlet and the revenge play tradition." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 25-30. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Hamlet and classical heroism." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 30-37. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Hamlet and Christianity." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 37-49. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "Hamlet as tragic hero." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 49-53. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The end of Hamlet." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 53-60. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The drama of Hamlet." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 60-70. PDF.
  • Cantor, Paul A. "The language of Hamlet." Shakespeare, Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2004. 70-77. PDF.
  • McGinn, Colin. "Hamlet." Shakespeare's Philosophy - Discovering the Meaning behind the Plays. New York: Harper-Collins, 2006. 35-60. PDF.
  • Stockton, Carla Lynn. "CliffsNotes on Hamlet." 22 Mar 2012.<http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/id-121.html>.
Other Media (Film Adaptions, Lectures, &c.)
  • Hamlet. Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Perf. Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Ian Holm and Helena Bonham Carter. Warner Bros. Pictures, 1990. Online Stream.
  • Hamlet. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. By William Shakespeare. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Gerard Depardieu, Charlton Heston, Robin Williams and Kate Winslet. Castle Rock Entertainment, 1996. Online Stream.

Explorations in Literature 2

John Milton - Paradise Lost

Primary Literature
  •  Milton, John, and Gordon Teskey. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. Print.
Secondary Literature
Commentary
Classic Criticism of Paradise Lost
  • Addison, Joseph. "From Spectator 297." February 9, 1712. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 379-80. Print.
  • Addison, Joseph. "From Spectator 303." February 16, 1712. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 381-82. Print.
  • Arnold, Matthew. "From Milton." 1888. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 398-9. Print.
  • Blake, William. "From The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: From The Voice of the Devil (Plates 5-6)." 1793. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 389. Print.
  • Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "From Lecture 4." March 4, 1819. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 390-1. Print.
  • Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "Unassigned Lecture Notes [Milton and Paradise Lost]." Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 391-2. Print.
  • Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "From Table Talk [Milton's Egotism]." August 1833 Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 392. Print.
  • Dryden, John. "Epigram." 1685. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 378. Print.
  • Dryden, John. "From Preface to Second Miscellany." 1685. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 379. Print.
  • Eliot, T. S. "From Milton I." 1936. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 399-400. Print.
  • Eliot, T. S. "From Milton II." 1947. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 400. Print.
  • Gordon, George, Lord Byron. "From Don Juan: From Dedication. From Canto III." 1819-24. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 392-3. Print.
  • Housman, A. E. "From Terence, this is stupid stuff." 1896. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 399. Print.
  • Hugo, Victor. "From Cromwell: From Act 3." 1827. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 397. Print.
  • Johnson, Samuel. "From Lives of the English Poets." 1797. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 384-7. Print.
  • Landor, Walter Savage. "From Imaginary Conversations ." 1846. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 395-6. Print.
  •  Marvell, Andrew. "On Mr. Milton's Paradise Lost." 1674. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 377-78. Print.
  • Shelley, Percy Bysshe. "From the Preface to Prometheus Unbound." 1820. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 393. Print.
  • Shelley, Percy Bysshe. "From A Defence of Poetry." 1821. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 394-5. Print.
  • Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. "Milton." 1863. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 397. Print.
  • Vicomte de Chateaubriand, François-René. "From Sketches of English Literature." 1836. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 387-8. Print.
  • Voltaire. "From Candide." 1759. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 382. Print.
  • Voltaire. "From Essay upon the Civil Wars of France … And also upon the Epick Poetry of the European Nations from Homer to Milton." 1727. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 383. Print.
  • Wordsworth, William. "London." 1802. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 390. Print.
Modern Criticism of Paradise Lost
  • Empson, William. "From Satan." 1961. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 417-20. Print.
  • Flesch, William. "From The Majesty of Darkness: Idol and Image in Milton." 1992. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 425-7. Print.
  • Gross, Kenneth. "From Satan and the Romantic Satan: A Notebook." 1988. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 420-4. Print.
  • Lewis, C. S. "From Satan." 1942. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 401-7. Print.
  • Rajan, Balachandra. "From The Problem of Satan." 1947. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 407-13. Print.
  • Waldock, A. J. A. "From Satan and the Technique of Degradation." 1947. Paradise Lost: Authoritative Text, Sources and Backgrounds, Criticism. By John Milton and Gordon Teskey. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 413-7. Print.

Renaissance Comedy

Pastoral, Shakespearean and Festive Comedy

William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Primary Literature
  • Shakespeare, William. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Ed. Russ McDonald. The Complete Pelican Shakespeare. By Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller. New York: Penguin, 2002. 249-84. Print.
  •  Shakespeare, William, Burton Raffel, and Harold Bloom. A Midsummer Night's Dream (The Annotated Shakespeare). New Haven: Yale UP, 2005. PDF.
Secondary Literature
  • Grosz, Tanya, and Linda Wendler. Shakespeare Made Easy - A Midsummer Night's Dream. Irvine: Saddleback Educational, 2006. PDF.
  •  Halio, Jay L. "Nightingales That Roar: The Language of A Midsummer Night's Dream." William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. By Harold Bloom. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2010. 43-56. PDF.
  • Jacobson, Karin. "CliffsNotes on A Midsummer Night's Dream." CliffsNotes. Web. 6 Apr. 2012. <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/a-midsummer-nights-dream.html>
  •  McGinn, Colin. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Shakespeare's Philosophy - Discovering the Meaning behind the Plays. New York: Harper-Collins, 2006. 17-34. PDF.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Dramatic Analysis." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 1-19. Questia. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Gender Relations: Love, Marriage, and the Battle of the Sexes." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 21-31. Questia. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Social Distinctions: Royalty, Gentry, and the Common People." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 47-54. Questia. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Popular Culture: Holidays, Court Entertainments, and Play-Acting." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 69-80. Questia. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  •  Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Imagination and Beliefs: Dreams, Fairies, and Transformation." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 97-105. Questia. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Performance and Interpretation." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 125-132. Questia. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.
  • Nostbakken, Faith, and William Shakespeare. "Contemporary Applications." Understanding A Midsummer Night Dream a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2003. 147-149. Questia. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=111758635#>.

Week 9

Explorations in Literature 1

Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy - Volume 1: Inferno

Primary Literature
  • Alighieri, Dante. Inferno. Trans. Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. New York: Anchor, 2002. Print. 
  • Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy - Volume 1: Inferno. Trans. Mark Musa. London: Penguin, 2003. Print.
Secondary Literature
Other Media (Film Adaptions, Lectures, &c.)

Explorations in Literature 2

Joseph Conrad - Heart of Darkness

Primary Literature
  • Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. London: HarperPress, 2010. Print.
  • Conrad, Joseph. "Heart of Darkness." Youth; Heart of Darkness; The End of the Tether. London: J. M. Dent and Sons, 1946. 43-160. Questia. Web. 1 May 2012.<http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=725562>
  • Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1902. Lit2Go. Educational Technology Clearinghouse. Web. 1 May 2012. <http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/99/heart-of-darkness/>.
Secondary Literature
  • Conrad, Joseph, and Paul B. Armstrong. Heart of Darkness: Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2006. Print.

Renaissance Comedy

William Shakespeare - As You Like It

Primary Literature
  • Shakespeare, William. "As You Like It." The Works of William Shakespeare Gathered into One Volume. New York: Oxford University Press, 1938. 611-640. Questia. Web. 4 May 2012. <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=93991643>
Looks quite impressive, huh? Yes, is impressive. I'm a little proud of myself. That's 241 hours of study right there! 
Yours sincerely,
Kris
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