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Frank Napolitano

Professor

Writing, Lang and Lit, School of

Address:

Hemphill Hall 4102
PO Box 6935

Headshot of Frank Napolitano

As a first-generation college student, I'm immensely grateful for the educational opportunities I've been given, and, as a Professor of English, my goal is to share those opportunities with students. I challenge students with assignments that allow them to think like scholars and to write for different audiences. Students in my medieval literature and drama courses explore the beauty, humor and complexity of medieval texts, performance and culture. In addition to my teaching, I've served as dramaturg, stage manager and cast member for Radford University's contributions to the York Mystery Plays performed at the University of Toronto, and I've produced two other plays for the Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Above all, I strive to instill a love of learning in all my students and to help hardworking students prepare for life after college.

Relevant Courses

Critical Reading and Writing in the Digital Age (ENGL 112): This course helps students navigate the challenging world of online writing and research.

British and Commonwealth Literature I (ENGL 230): This course explores early British literature and culture from the fall of the Roman Empire to the 17th century, including works by Geoffrey Chaucer, Julian of Norwich, Christopher Marlowe and Amelia Lanyer.

Introduction to English Studies (ENGL 300): Intended primarily for English majors, this course welcomes students to the major and teaches them what it means to practice literary scholarship.

Medieval Literature (ENGL 431): In this course, students consider the fascinating ways people in the past expressed themselves and explored difficult ideas. The primary focus of the course is on the close reading of literary texts composed in England during the Middle Ages. We read classic texts like Beowulf, selections from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Arthurian fantasy stories like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and works of medieval "pop culture" like the English mystery plays.

The Author in Context - Geoffrey Chaucer (ENGL 470): This themed course focuses specifically on the work of Geoffrey Chaucer, one of England's first great poets (circa 1343-1400). Together, we explore some of the most sublime and hilarious poetry ever written in English.

Senior Seminar (ENGL 496): In this capstone course for English majors, students apply literary theory to works in their field of interest and compose a senior thesis that displays the writing, research and analytical skills they've acquired in the major.

Service Roles

Graduate Teaching Mentoring Program Coordinator: In this role, I help introduce Department of English graduate students to teaching college-level writing. We provide new teachers with the structure, support and guidance necessary to step into the classroom for the first time. As coordinator of this community of teachers, I match graduate students with their faculty mentors and facilitate regular teaching and professional development seminars.

Student Engagement Committee Member: This committee strives to foster friendly, professional relationships between students and faculty within the School of Writing, Language and Literature (SWLL).

Virginia High School League Forensics Judge: I judge the oral presentations of high school students as they compete in several categories, including original oratory, humorous interpretation and extemporaneous speech.

Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society Secretary & Treasurer: In addition to collecting dues and managing finances for this international society dedicated to premodern theatre and performance, I maintain membership rolls, record minutes at all meetings and communicate regularly with members.

Select Publications & Presentations

  • "The English Mystery Plays." In Oxford Bibliographies in British and Irish Literature. Ed. Andrew Hadfield. New York: Oxford University Press, 2024.
  • With Leigh Graziano, Kay Halasek, Remi Hudgins, Susan Miller-Cochran and Natalie Syzmanski, editors. Making Administrative Work Visible: Data-Driven Advocacy for Understanding the Labor of Writing Program Administration. Utah State UP, 2023.
  • With Leigh Graziano, Kay Halasek, Susan Miller-Cochran and Natalie Szymanski. "A Return to Portland: Making Work Visible through the Ecologies of Writing Program Administration." WPA: Journal of the Council of Writing Program Administrators, vol. 43, no. 2, 2020, pp. 131-151.
  • " Here may we se a merveyl one': Miracles and the Psalter in the N-Town 'Marriage of Mary and Joseph.'" Early Theatre, vol. 18, no. 2, 2015, pp. 37-56. DOI: 10.12745/et.18.2.1072.
  • "The N-Town Presentation of Mary in the Temple and the Production of Rhetorical Knowledge." Studies in Philology, vol. 110, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1-17. DOI: 10.1353/sip.2013.0006.

Education Experience

  • Ph.D. in English, University of Connecticut
  • M.A. in English, University of Connecticut
  • B.A. in English, Merrimack College

Other Interests

I practice mindful meditation daily and care deeply about personal wellness. As a native of the Boston area, I am a diehard Boston Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins fan, though I trust that supporters of other teams are still good people at heart. I play the drums and love talking about music, sports and all things "geek"--Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, comics, etc.

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