THEF 404 (03) Special Topics/University Honors Program

“Film & The Theatre of The Holocaust”

TERM:	Fall 2004	TIMES:	9:00am - 10:15am
INSTRUCTOR:	Robert Caisley	LOCATION:	ED/Kiva Theatre
EMAIL:	rcaisley@uidaho.edu	OFFICE:	Shoup Hall 119
TELEPHONE:	885-7399	HOURS:	By Appt.

I. Course Description

Lawrence Langer refers to works that retell the story of the war against the Jews of Europe under the Third Reich as a “literature of atrocity.”[1] This course, therefore, will treat the films and dramatic literature of the Holocaust as a unique genre of “survivalist” literature, which is as much a response to one of history's darkest periods as is it an emergence of a distinctive aesthetic form.

Formal lectures, film screenings and the reading of plays will provide students with the proper context for working in discussion groups and on small group activities designed to ask the following questions: How does the artist respond to acts of atrocity? Is there an aesthetic of survivors and survival? Do artists have a moral obligation to “bear witness?” And if so, how should acts of inhumanity be depicted in art? Why should the mass extermination of the 6 million Jews murdered during WWII be singled out for special consideration from the nearly 52 million total casualties of the war? Can provocative subject matter be trivialized or exploited by the artist, or can it work to legitimize an inferior artist's work because of the critical issues it explores?[2] This seminar is an attempt to answer these basic ques­tions.

II. Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes

Students enrolled in this Honors Seminar will:

1.              Develop an understanding of the various methods, styles and approaches that film and theatre practitioners have taken toward the subject of the Holocaust;

2.              Develop an appreciation of the aesthetics of “survivors and survival;”

3.              Gain a clearer understanding of the historical and social context of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust

4.              Learn to distinguish how theatrical (stylized) representation of historical events may differ from a cinematic (realistic) representation of the same events;

5.              Begin to understand the role of the artist in society within the context(s) of:

a)      the question of human choice and free will

b)      the role of memory

c)      moral and ethical responsibility

d)      the dangers of sentimentality

e)      the forms and function of the literature of atrocity

f)       the relationship between art and history

g)      the legacy of The Shoah

 

 

III. Required Texts

(1) Rovit, Rebecca & Alvin Goldfarb. Theatrical Performances during the Holocaust. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002.

(2) Caisley, Robert. Letters to an Alien. Dramatic Publishing Company, 1996.

(3) Fuchs, Elinor (ed.). Plays of the Holocaust. TCG, 1987.

(4) Skloot, Robert (ed.). Theatre of the Holocaust: Four Plays. University of Wisconsin, 1999.

In addition, I may also assign other articles, essays, abstracts, etc. which may be of interest (and which I will provide, or make copies available to you on class reserve).[3]

IV. Assignments & Point Distribution

The specific nature, scope and format of all assignments will be explained in detail as assigned.

(1)	Writing a “Letter To An Alien”	20 pts.
(2)	Free Writes/Small Group Report (informal/non-graded)	30 pts. (3 x 10 pts. each)
(3)	Film Review/Play Response	50 pts.
(4)	Emotional Response/Collage	50 pts.
(5)	Yom Hashoa Project	100 pts.
(6)	Final Term Paper	100 pts.
(7)	Participation	50 pts.
	TOTAL:	450 pts.*

 

V. Attendance Policy

This course adopts the university policies on attendance and absences. Excessive absence in this class will adversely affect your grade. Absences will be considered excessive when their number equals or exceeds the number of credits in this course. In all cases of absence, students are accountable for the work missed. *A total of twenty-five (25) points will be deducted from your cumulative score at the end of the semester for each additional absence.

VI. Late Assignments

All assignments will be collected at the end of the designated class period in which they are due, beyond which they will be considered late and 25% of the total points possible for that assignment will be deducted. After two days, the assignment will no longer be accepted. There will be no exceptions to this rule!

VII. Participation

This course uses discussion and the respectful exchange of personal opinion as one of the principal methods of inquiry. Students are expected to not only attend classes, but to actively and vigorously participate in discussions of assigned readings, research and all presentations. You should be prepared to give feedback to your peers and contribute to the conversations generated by the work. Sitting back quietly is not sufficient; just getting up and doing your presentation is not sufficient; you are responsible for verbal analysis, exchange and defense of your opinion in class.

VIII. Films & Reading Assignments

What follows is an ambitious list of material I would like us to cover during the course of the semester. While I am optimistic that we will be able to reach our goals, if it appears that the reading load is unreasonable I will adjust it accordingly. Reading assignments are set off with [square brackets], and the following abbreviations will be used in the course calendar:

[R&G] = Rebecca Rovit & Al Goldfarb's Theatrical Performances During the Holocaust.

            [SKLOOT] = Robert Skloot's anthology of four plays, The Theatre of the Holocaust.

            [FUCHS] = Elinor Fuchs' anthology, Plays of the Holocaust.

Plays	Films	Reading Assignments from Text(s)
Delbo's Who Will Carry The Word? [SKLOOT]	Schindler's List	[R&G, pp. 1 - 10]
Sobol's Ghetto (FUCHS)	Night & Fog	[SKLOOT, pp. 3 - 17]
Szajna's Replika (FUCHS)	Paragraph 175	[R&G, pp. 28 - 39]
Barnes' Auschwitz (FUCHS)	The Pianist or Europa, Europa	[R&G, pp. 40 - 57]
Tabori's The Cannibals (SKLOOT)	Life is Beautiful	[R&G, pp. 97 - 112]
Caisley's Letters to an Alien	Akropolis	[R&G, pp. 117 - 124]
	The Eternal Jew	[R&G, pp.159 - 166]
		[R&G, pp. 169 - 178]
		[R&G, pp. 203 - 207]
		[R&G, pp. 250 - 264]

IX. Course Calendar

This is an ideal plan for how the semester will proceed; however, the following calendar is subject to change. The films will be screened in class on the date indicated; however, please make sure that the plays are read in advance of the date indicated in the calendar. Likewise, readings from the text need to be completed in advance of the date indicated in the calendar.

Units	Day/Date	Class Discussion/Reading/Assignment
	Thursday, January 13	***** General Meeting/Class Does Not Formally Meet
	Tuesday, January 18	***** No Class (Rob at Mill Mountain Theatre, VA)
	Thursday, January 20	***** No Class (Rob at Mill Mountain Theatre, VA)
Unit 1 a) Why Study The Holocaust?	Tuesday, January 25	(Rob back from Virginia) Course Introduction Berek Jacubowicz, The Dentist of Auschwitz Language & The Aesthetics of Atrocity [R&G, pp. 1 - 10]
b) Historical Context	Thursday, January 27	A Brief Historical Overview: Adolf Hitler, Nazism & Anti-Semitism Thinking About the Six Million[4] [R&G, pp. 28 - 39]
c) Representation in Theatre, Film and Art	Tuesday, February 1	The Question of Representation in Theatre & Film The Stage vs. The Screen Aristotle's 6 Elements of Drama Cinematic Storytelling: Advancing Narrative Visually [SKLOOT, pp. 3 - 17]
d) Responding to the Holocaust	Thursday, February 3	Letters to an Alien: Learning Emotional Response
Unit 2	Tuesday, February 8	Film: Schindler's List
a) Style & POV	Thursday, February 10	Discussion
b) Verisimilitude	Tuesday, February 15	Film: Night & Fog
c) Life in the Camps & Ghettos	Thursday, February 17	Discussion Play:Who Will Carry The Word? [R&G, pp. 117 - 124]
Unit 3	Tuesday, February 22	Film: Paragraph 175
a) Documentary	Thursday, February 24	Discussion
b) Homosexuals & The Holocaust	Tuesday, March 1	Plays: Ghetto, Replika [R&G, pp. 97 - 112]
c) Theatre as Metaphor	Thursday, March 3	Film: Europa, Europa
Unit 4	Tuesday, March 8	Discussion [R&G, pp.159 - 166]
a) Survivors & Survival	Thursday, March 10	Presentations: Emotional Responses
	Tuesday, March 15	Spring Break/No Classes
	Thursday, March 17	Spring Break/No Classes
	Tuesday, March 22	TBA
	Thursday, March 24	TBA
Unit 5	Tuesday, March 29	Film: Life is Beautiful
a) The Comic POV	Thursday, March 31	Discussion [R&G, pp. 40 - 57]
	Tuesday, April 5	Play: Auschwitz
	Thursday, April 7	TBA: Possible Guest Speaker
Unit 6	Tuesday, April 12	Film: Akropolis
a) Model Ghetto	Thursday, April 14	Discussion
b) Experimental Theatre	Tuesday, April 19	Play: The Cannibals [R&G, pp. 250 The Emperor of Atlantis] [R&G, pp. 203 - 207]
	Thursday, April 21	[R&G, pp. 169 - 178]
Unit 7	Tuesday, April 26	Play: Letters to an Alien
The Legacy of The Shoah	Thursday, April 28	Elie Wiesel “Never Again” and The 614th Commandment[5]
	Tuesday, May 3	Teaching About the Holocaust
	Thursday, May 5	No Class - Yom Hashoa (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
	Monday, May 9	7:30am - 9:30am Final Exam (paper's due)

X. Communication

I like to communicate with my classes regularly by email, to make announcements, changes in the calendar, etc. Please make sure that check your email account daily. Additionally, please feel free to call me or email me if you'd like to schedule a time outside of class to discuss any problems or concerns you are having. Almost any problem can be solved provided there is open communication between us.