The Academy Literature and Drama Website is designed to provide rich background material for a wide range of Literature and Drama units. One of the frequent observations about teaching in these areas is that staff rarely have enough time to provide complete biographies of authors, or to place them within their historical and artistic context. This project is designed to alleviate this problem and provide a quick resource for students.
The project is directed towards encouraging self-directed learning through a simple but attractive interface. The project can be linked to each lecturer's online and/or WebCT material. It can also be given to students as preparatory reading material before coming to class.
Students should be discouraged from copying this material. It is background and linkage information, and does not contain the level of argument that will be expected in assignment work.
The site has seven categories which are covered in detail below.
Authors and Playwrights
This section contains approximately 130 entries for authors from around the world. The entries have a brief biographical summary, a list and analysis of major works and some hyperlinks and a bibliogrpahy of further reading.
The playwright list has over 40 prominent playwrights. There is a brief biography, a mention of their most important works and a brief attempt to place them in the context of their field.
Texts
The text section includes samples of texts presented in three different ways.
1. Text only presentation -- a poem or extract is presented without analysis.
2. Text and analysis -- the poem or extract is accompanied by a short essay outlining the significance of the work.
3. Soundpoem -- a reading of an extract is illustrated with a motion graphic. A sound card and speakers will be needed but the extract and analysis are available to all.
Don't forget to use the links to authors - you might find more extracts and information
Theatres and Performance
Explore the history of theatre in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Each entry gives a history of
the theatre from its inception, including the many of the performances and actors that appeared there. This section contains original research and is an important resource for theatre historians.
ThePerformance section contains an analysis of theatre directors and theoreticians who have made important contributions to their craft. Also Styles of Performance are analysed in detail. The section also has The Fundamentals of Drama sub-web, which covers basic principles of stagecraft.