Major Media Texts OpenCourseWare: MIT's Graduate Level Free Online Course on the Study of Media Texts
Examine storytelling in literature, movies, television and stage drama with MIT's free OpenCourseWare, 'Major Media Texts.' This graduate-level course concentrates on close reading and analysis of historically significant entertainment, including interpretations of Shakespeare's 'Henry V' and Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' on stage, screen and the page across decades and centuries. As part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's master's degree program in comparative media studies, this seminar is suited for advanced students of English literature, film theory or drama.
Major Media Texts (CMS 796): Course Specifics
| Degree Level | Free | Audio | Video | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Lectures/Notes | Study Materials | Tests/Quizzes |
|---|---|---|
| No | Yes | No |
Major Media Texts (CMS 796): Course Description
In this course, text means more than words on a page. Through lecture and class discussion of assigned reading and viewing, 'Major Media Texts' analyzes novels, epic poems, television dramas, plays, movies, operas and story cycles. Examination of literature, film and drama from different perspectives probes the effects of moving a story from one entertainment medium, language or time to another, and how such shifts reflect back on the original work and on society as a whole. While the works examined are from many genres and media, all have one thing in common: they are historically noteworthy pieces that have already inspired reams of scholarly discussion and endured the test of time. Discussion of such works as Milton's Paradise Lost and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy focuses on social forces that cause some works to remain popular and significant in spite of broad changes in culture and forms of entertainment over centuries. In addition to appreciation of the individual works, 'Major Media Texts' aims to give students the skills and language to comfortably analyze all forms of literature, film or drama and to discuss the different sensory experiences each medium brings. Taught by Professor Diana Henderson, with guest lecturers and collaborative teaching, this class is part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's master's degree program in comparative media studies.
The OpenCourseWare version of this graduate seminar presents a reading list and examples of student projects. If you're interested in these free course materials, visit the media text studies course page.
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