Michael Hennessy
English 3370
20^th-Century
British Literature

• Course
  Representative works of 20th-century British literature, including six novels, two books of poetry, and a play. Three of the novels explore the British experience from the perspective of young people coming of age - their struggles to confront existing social structures and to establish individual identities. Two works look at the lives of women in the period following the Second World War, and two examine the effects of British colonialism in Africa. The poems - by Lawrence and Auden - illustrate the accomplishments of modern British poems in both formal and free verse.

• Goals
  The chief goals of the course are to enlarge your understanding of modern British literature and culture and to develop your ability to think, read, and write critically.

• Books
  Arnold Bennett, Anna of the Five Towns (1902); E. M. Forster, A Room with a View (1908); James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916); D. H. Lawrence, "Snake" and Other Poems (1913-1921); W. H. Auden, Tell Me the Truth about Love (1932-1938); Barbara Pym, Excellent Women (1952); Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (1959); Muriel Spark, The Girls of Slender Means (1963); Athol Fugard, "Master Harold" . . . and the Boys (1982)

• Attendance
  The best policy is to miss no classes at all. If you miss more than three - for whatever reason - you should expect a reduction in your final grade.

• Reading
  Assignments are listed below. Your ability to participate in and benefit from the course depends on your having read the assignments before coming to class.

• Requirements
  A midterm, a final, and two short papers. Exams are largely essay. Each of the four assignments counts for 25% of your grade.

• Students with Special Needs. Students who require accommodations for successful completion of this course should notify both the SWT Office of Disability Services and the instructor by no later than the end of the first week of classes so that accommodations can be made.

• Course Calendar. This schedule is subject to change.

9.5 Bennett, Ch. 1-5
9.7 Bennett, Ch. 6-10

9.12 Bennett, Ch. 11-14
9.14 Joyce, Pt. 1

9.19 Joyce, Pt. 2
9.21 Joyce, Pt. 3; FIRST PAPER DUE

9.26 Joyce, Pt. 4
9.28 Joyce, Pt. 5

10.3 Forster, Pt. 1
10.5 Forster; Pt. 2

10.10 Forster; review
10.12 MIDTERM

10.17 Lawrence, pp. 1-30
10.19 Lawrence, pp. 31-56

10.24 Lawrence
10.26 Auden, first 5 poems

10.31 Auden, rest of poems
11.2 Pym, Ch. 1-14

11.7 Pym, Ch. 15-27
11.9 Pym

11.14 Spark, Ch. 1-5
11.16 Spark, Ch. 6-9; SECOND PAPER DUE

11.21 Achebe, Pt. 1
11.23 Thanksgiving‹no class

11.28 Achebe, Pt. 2
11.30 Achebe, Pt. 3

12.5 Fugard, all
12.7 Fugard

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, December 14, 11:30 am-2:00 pm

designed by Scott A. Johnson