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Offices and Phones Dan Lochman FH 341 245-3015 (office) FH 132 dl02@swt.edu Hours: 10-11 TWTh, 3:15-3:40 TTh & by appointment Shannon Kemp 245-7689 (office) FH 126 shannon@jump.net Hours: 1-2 TTh

General Description:

This course features extensive readings in the major works of British literature from Anglo-Saxon times through the 18th century.  Readings illustrate major literary genres, including poetry, drama, and fiction, and they deepen understanding of our shared cultural heritage in its distinctive character and its enduring effects.  Students respond to readings through examinations, class discussion and essays. 

Goals:

British Literature before 1785 offers students the opportunity to read and understand the foundational works of our English language and learn important elements of our cultural and linguistic heritage.  Moreover, it encourages recognition of distinctive elements of ourselves and contemporary society in relation to writings representing other times and cultures.  Successful students will 1) gain knowledge of the primary texts and relevant backgrounds of a diverse body of literature; 2) demonstrate on quizzes, tests, and during class discussion an ability to prepare, read closely, analyze, and investigate literary texts; and 3) write organized, clear, and effective essays on midterm and final examinations.

Requirements and Percentages:

                                    Quizzes (4)                                                        5% each

                                    Period Examinations (2)                                 15% each

                                    Midterm Examination  (50% essay)                25%

                                    Final Examination (67% essay)                       25%

Students with an average of B or above after the midterm examination may substitute a 1000-word analysis of an assigned work for the third period examination.  Examinations typically include identification of terminology, dates and passages from texts as well as questions designed to demonstrate students' abilities to analyze passages.  Essays will test writing ability, analytic skills, and the ability to synthesize readings. Students may expect unannounced quizzes as required.

Texts:

Murfin, Ross, and Supryia M. Ray.  The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. 

            Boston: Bedford, 1997. (BG)

Damrosch, David, ed.  The Longman Anthology of British Literature.  Volume I.  New York:       

            Longman , 1999 (LABL)       

*****************************************************************************Daily Schedule

Note: The following schedule is tentative and subject to revision.  It is meant to help you plan and prepare assignments and readings, whether they are discussed in class or not.  With the exception of the first day's class, always complete readings and exercises prior to the date they are scheduled, unless you have been instructed otherwise.

1          August             30 Th   Introduction. Historical and linguistic backgrounds (LABL 3-10,     

                                                124-5).  BG: genre, criticism, interpretive communities, and

                                                hermeneutics.

2          September         4 T    British and Anglo-Saxon cultures.  Bede and "Caedmon's Hymn"    

                                                (LABL 126-31), "Judith" (LABL 114-9), "The Wanderer" (LABL

                                                143-6) "Urien Yrechwydd" (LABL 140-1); Riddles (LABL 149-                                                      52).  BG: Old English, epithet, hymn, alliteration, caesura.

                                      6 Th  Beowulf  (LABL 27-68).   BG: traditional epic, protagonist,

                                                kenning, meiosis (understatement).  Quiz 1.

3                                  11 T     Beowulf (LABL 68-94). 

                                    13 Th   Alfred (LABL 134-5, 138-9) and the Viking incursions.                  

                                                Transitions to Norman culture (LABL 11-26).  Geoffrey of              

                                                Monmouth (LABL 155-64). 

4                                  18 T     Chaucer (LABL 272-6); "Complaint to His Purse" (393).

                                                Canterbury Tales. General Prologue (LABL 294-312.  BG:

                                                Middle English period, ballade, point of view, irony, symbol,

                                                figurative language, imagery, rhyme, formalism, historicism.

                                     20 Th  Canterbury Tales. General Prologue (LABL 294-312). BG: tale,

                                                frame story, persona, tone, character, couplet.

5                                   25 T    Period Examination

                                     27 Th  The Miller's  Prologue and Tale (LABL 313-29).  BG: fabliau,        

                                                stock characters.

6          October              2 T     The Wife of Bath's Prologue (LABL 329-48).  BG, feminist

                                                criticism, allusion.

                                      4 Th  The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale (LABL 329-56). Chaucer's   

                                                Retraction (LABL 392). BG: medieval romance, courtly                   

                                                love.

7                                     9 T    Quiz 2.  Julian of Norwich (LABL 447-55); Margery Kemp (LABL

                                                500-20).  BG: mysticism, autobiography. 

                                     11 Th  Early Modern period (LABL 569-88).  Utopia  (LABL 636-64).

                                                BG, early Tudor age, utopia, litotes, cultural criticism.

8                                  16 T    Utopia (LABL 664-706). 

                                     18 Th   Midterm examination.

 9                                  23 T    Selected verse by Wyatt, Spenser, Sidney, Isabella Whitney,

                                                Elizabeth I.  BG: convention, lyric, direct satire, rhyme scheme,

                                                scansion, iambic pentameter, sonnet, Petrarchan conceit, Italian

                                                sonnet, Shakespearean sonnet, Spenserian sonnet. 

                                     25 Th Selected sonnets.

10                                30 T    Quiz 3.  Shakespeare and drama (LABL 1166-8).  Othello  Acts 1-2. 

                                                BG: plot, Freytag pyramid, tragedy, soliloquy, aside, blank

                                                verse, tragic flaw, hubris, race and literary studies.

            November          1 Th  Othello , Acts 3-4.  BG: psychological criticism.       

11                                   6 T    Othello, Act 5.                 

                                       8 Th Selected verse by Ben Jonson, John Donne, George Herbert,

                                                Aemelia Lanyer. BG: metaphysical conceit, epigram, paradox,

                                                concrete poetry.          

12                                13 T    Period Examination.

                                     15 Th  Selected verse by Lady Mary Wroth, Katharine Philips, John

                                                Milton, Andrew Marvell.  The Civil War (LABL 1698-1714).  BG:

                                                pastoral elegy.                                                

13                                20 T    Restoration and 18th century history and culture (LABL

                                                1979-2002) Hogarth, Rake’s Progress (LABL 2616-2625). 

                                     22 Th  Thanksgiving

14                                27 T   Quiz 4.  Pope, Rape of the Lock (LABL 2490-2508).  BG: satire,

                                                mock epic.

                                     29 Th Behn, “To Lysander,” “To the Fair Clorinda,”  Oroonoko (LABL    

                                                2150-94).  BG: novel.

15        December           4 T  Oronooko.

                                       6 Th Swift, “Description of a City Shower” (LABL 2365),

                                                “The Lady’s Dressing Room” (2370-3); Lady Montagu, “The

                                                Reasons that Induced Dr. S. to Write…” (LABL 2557-70).

Comprehensive Final Examination -- Thursday, Dec 13 11:30am - 2:00pm

                                           COURSE POLICIES

English 2310

Read the following immediately and carefully, so that you have a clear understanding of basic course procedures. 

Ground rules:

1) On the second day of class expect to be assigned seating. On all subsequent class days, use the seat assigned.  This procedure will speed distribution of assignments and graded papers.  Memorize and record your seat number; write it on all quizzes and tests.

2) Students who have special needs to assist learning should identify themselves to us after the first class period and should make necessary arrangements with the Office of Disability Services.   With the assistance and direction of that office, we are happy to help all students learn.

3) Each class day, expect to sign an attendance sheet.  Please do not leave class early because doing so disrupts class. Classes are planned to make full use of each class period.

4) More than four unexcused absences will result in the loss of one letter grade at the end of the semester.  An "unexcused" absence occurs when a student fails to notify me in advance of an absence and when no prior arrangements have been made to make up missed work.

5)  I would like to believe that college students work without resorting to dishonest activities. Unfortunately, both research and experience demonstrate that some students lack the will or ethical fortitude to do their own work. We will take measures to prevent dishonesty and to identify those who are dishonest.  Always turn completed quizzes and examinations over until they are collected. University College requires publication of the following statement:

Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, cheating on a test, collusion, and abuse of research materials.  Students found guilty of any of these offenses are subject to  disciplinary action.  For details, see Southwest Texan, the official SWT student handbook, available for the Office of the Dean of Students, J. C. Kellam, 820.

6)  Class discussion is a positive thing, but present your ideas to the entire class.  Private discussions disrupt concentration, especially in this large classroom, and can lead others to incorrect conclusions.  Turn off all devices that might interrupt class: pagers, cell phones, CDs, and so on. Class size dictates that extraneous noise be kept to a minimum.   

7)  Use the daily syllabus to plan your work load for reading and writing assignments.  It is the student's responsibility to schedule work around those dates. Be prepared to read and be responsible for more than what is explicitly discussed in class; at the college level, students should be able to extrapolate beyond and apply what is said in lecture. Announced or unannounced quizzes may not be made up if they are missed.

8)  Don't allow yourself to slip into nameless anonymity.  I hope to see all of you at least once in my office, if for no other reason than just to chat informally about literature.  In addition to regularly scheduled office hours, I shall be available for conferences by appointment.