Reflections upon collective banishment from Arcadia

I would just like to say, as a post script to our Arcadian adventures and perhaps to happily temper the enthusiasm that I splurted in today's lesson regarding our results, that I am delighted with the effort of everybody in the class regardless of marks, grades, assessment objectives etc. We read a difficult play - a highly complex work - and created subtle comparisons with equally challenging works. To have rode the surf, so to speak, and to have come out with a piece of academic criticism of the standard of any of the assignments - and I mean that without qualification - is a sizeable achievement and I implore you all to slap yourselves firmly and squarely on the back with such vigour that you leave an indellible print - so that it may be subsequently revisited like a happier version of Hardy's 'burnt circle' in Where the Picnic Was.

To reduce the discussions, analyses, profound thoughts and personal insights to one of thirty marks seems arbitrary and cruel. What I hope lingers with you (it certainly will with me) is not the quantitative outcome of our endeavours but the free-range discussion of literature and intellectual ideas; the sharing and inheritance of knowledge; the interpretation of the comedic beauty and brutal sensitivity of language.

While the students who achieved the highest grades richly deserved their applause, I would hate to think that those of you who sat in Room 89 mulling over figures which were not as aesthetically pleasing as you would have liked are left feeling in any way despondent. Though we spend only three hours together each week, I spent much time, unbeknownst to you, in your individual company as I feasted on your insights into Arcadia, Wilde, Bronte and your own personal views of art, as I scrutinised your essays. No essay was substandard. No opinion was unfounded. Each piece was a joy to read.

As I intimated when I announced my departure from Norfolk, I shall miss this class profoundly. Sometimes teachers lose touch with why they want to teach, what they enjoy about teaching, even the literature itself. I confess that I have frequently felt this, particularly with some of my classes since I returned to Norfolk. But you lot have been inspirational.

Good luck in the exams.

What about the first drafts?

You will receive much criticism regarding your first drafts. Are they fair? Do they reflect your own readings? What have you not been given in class that you need? I won't know unless you tell me - amd each other.

One approach could be to submit your main arguments and ask each other for ideas about how to access other counter arguments (sense of debate).

Get blogging.

Mr D

Coursework titles

Whilst it advisable that each of you submit original essay titles/questions, it is perfectly admissable that there be overlap. Do not be overprotective of your ideas: share them online with the rest of us - albeit in prototype form - and ask for our scrutiny, praise and encouragement; I envisage that most of your initial ideas will need refinement and I see no reason why I should be the only one to be involved in the criticism. Just REMEMBER that they MUST offer you plenty of opportunity to address the various requirements of the Assessment Objectives, particularly in regard to each of the AOs' weightings. For example, 'large' questions such as 'How do Stoppard and Bronte reflect 19th Century attitudes to marriage?' will require much generalisation and a temptation to write reems of histo-social conext analysis when AO4 is worth just 2%. You need to find a smaller area for close scrutiny in which AO4 will be evident in a subtler way and for which you can offer a high standard of tight analysis of language, structure and form (AO2) and create a sense of DEBATE for which there are multiple interpretations that you will take into account before making a judgement of your own (AO3).

Happy Christmas!

General thoughts and epiphanies

Unsure where to stick your earth-shaking insights, confused queries or general rants? Whack 'em in here.

Intertextual Links

As you know, the exam board stipulates that all essay titles must be in by 30th (I think) January. It is time to begin making notes of any ideas that occur to you regarding intertextual links, whether it be between characters, themes, language, staging, humour or anything else.

One comparison that struck me as I was reading through 'Earnest' could be the stage directions and set description in Act 2 of 'Earnest' and in Scene 1 of 'Arcadia'. Might be worth a look. On this note, one area which all of you could do with improving is your knowledge of genre, i.e. theatre and stagecraft. Have a scout around for information online.

Mrs Chater: Randy Old Tart or Feminist Icon

Some of you, in your essays, commented on the relevance of Mrs Chater in the scene, albeit by proxy; I am interested in her function, considering she never physically materialises. Are we supposed to view her as a wanton sexual predator, void of morals and self-serving; or could we argue that she is in fact a prototype 21st Century woman, in command of her sexuality and independence, striving to free herself of the shackles of Regency society? Over to you...

Welcome to the Arcadia Blog

I have been emailed by a few of you bright young things regarding insights into the text not discussed in class. I feel that, whilst this is entirely welcome and appropriate, how unfortunate it would be if the thoughts and reflections were limited to myself and sender only.

Therefore, I have established this blog which we can all access at any time to drop in thoughts and questions regarding Arcadia . Seeing as we spend so little time together and will be faced with innumerable obstructions to free-range literature discussion in class due to course requirements and logistical necessities, should people not feel suitably enlightened or fulfilled in class, they can voice their concerns online for the perusal and comment of their peers.

Let's hope that we have a significant demand for the forum - get commenting!

Jim Denchfield