Spring 2006 Courses

English 390: Women and Voice: Black Women and Performance (Civil)

A black female slave poet denounces her prior pagan land and praises her deracination.

A black male playwright conjures a black female blues singer.  The Venus Hottentot comes to life. A white female performance artist darkens her skin and pretends to be a black ballerina. A black female sex worker sits at a phone and pretends to be any man’s sexual fantasy. After reading about Tawana Brawley’s contested rape, a white female performance artist smears chocolate over her body, starts to scream and almost brings down the NEA. Her black female counterpart stands silent on the corner with a sign that says “Wet Paint.”

Who is speaking and why does it matter?

In this section of Women and Voice, we will explore this question in the context of black women and performance. How does the performance of a particular voice—in / as a particular body impact and provoke our critical analysis? How can we recognize performance as theme and act—in ebonics, persona or occasional poetry, plays, novels and performance art pieces? How do the present, silent or ventriloquized voices of black women in (and through) performance highlight and challenge notions of gender, race, body, authenticity, identity, representation, form and style?

At the crossroads of literary and performance studies, this class will look at theoretical texts about performance, performativity, feminism, womanism, “coming to voice” as well as poetry, novels, plays, performance art, music and films by diverse men and women. Course assignments will include essays, reviews, a brief presentation and critical/ creative fusions. Course creators will include: Phyllis Wheatley, Sojourner Truth, August Wilson, Ma Rainey, ntozake shange, Coco Fusco, Ai, Eleanor Antin, Hélène Cixous, RoseLee Goldberg, Adrian Piper, Alice Walker, Karen Finley, Kara Walker, Billie Holiday, Diana Ross (dancing with the Muppets), Suzan-Lori Parks, Spike Lee, Adrienne Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey, Anita Hill, me and you.

Spring 2006 Course Listings