English 221-12

British Literature Survey, I

Professor Flowers Braswell

Fall, 1993

Office Hours: Mon. and Wed., 7:30-8:00; 12:30-1:00; and by appointment

Textbook: Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 1, 6th ed.

(optional) a translation of The Canterbury Tales (I especially recommend Howard's or Coghill's, as these retain the original form.) WARNING: you must not read this instead of but only in addition to the origina language. Nor may you bring a translation to class with you. The test questions and paper topics will require a knowledge of the original language which no translation can hope to reproduce exactly.

Important: All introductions to the periods, to the assigned works, and to the authors (when known) are to be read carefully. This will not be repeated on the syllabus below, but you will be expected to know this material. Be sure, too, to study the footnotes to the various works, as they contain valuable information.

Any works written in CAPITALS and placed in brackets [ ] are considered "outside reading." We will not cover them in class unless you have questions about them, but they will be included on tests.

Class meetings marked with an asterisk (*) contain a heavy reading load. Be sure to budget your time so that you don't get behind.

1. Mon., Sept. 13 Intro. to course

Intro. to Anglo-Saxon England

Charms & Riddles (xeroxed)

2. * Wed., Sept. 15 Bede and Caedmon's Hymn, pp. 16-19

Beowulf, Parts I and II, pp. 27-55

3. * Mon., Sept. 20 Beowulf, Parts III and IV, pp. 55-68

The Dream of the Rood, pp. 19-21

SLIDES: Anglo-Saxon Art

[THE WANDERER, pp. 68-69]

4. Wed., Sept. 22 General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales and the Knight, pp. 81-82, ll. 1-78; Prioress, Monk, and Friar, ll. 118-271;

Cook, ll. 381-390

5. Mon., Oct. 27 Parson, ll. 480-530; Wife of Bath, ll. 447-487; Miller, ll. 547-568; Pardoner, ll. 671-716; The Miller's Tale, pp. 101- 117.

6. * Wed., Oct. 29 The Wife of Bath's Tale, pp. 135-144; The Nun's Priest's Tale, pp. 179-192

7. * Mon., Oct. 4 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, pp. 202- 254

8. Wed., Oct. 6 Middle English Lyrics: Fowls in the Frith, p. 287; Sunset of Calvary, p. 290; I Sing of a Maiden, p. 290; Popular Ballads: Judas, p. 386; Barbara Allen, p. 390; The Wife of Usher's Well, p. 391; The Three Ravens, p. 392; SLIDES: Medieval Art

FIRST PAPER DUE

[JULIAN OF NORWICH, pp. 292-298]

9. Mon., Oct. 11 MIDTERM EXAM

10. Wed., Oct. 13 Movie: "The Return of Martin Guerre"

11. * Mon., Oct. 18 Dr. Faustus, pp. 768-801

12. Wed., Oct. 20 Sonnets: The Love Song, 0. 440, Whoso List to Hunt, p. 441; They Flee from Me, 443; Love that Doth Reign and Live, p. 451; The Soote Season,p. 451; Alas, So All Things Now, p. 451; William Shakespeare, Spring, Winter, p. 804

13. * Mon., Oct. 25 Henry Fourth, Part I, pp. 822-888

14. Wed., Oct. 27 Shakespeare's Sonnets: #s 18, 29, 73, 116, 127, 130, 135, 138, 146

15. Mon., Nov. 1 John Donne: The Good Morrow, p. 1082; Song, 1083; Break of Day, 1088; The Flea, p. 1090; Sonnets 10 and 14; A Hymn to God the Father, p. 1121

SECOND PAPER DUE

[TRANSLATING THE BIBLE, PP. 971-73]

16. * Wed., Nov. 3 Milton: When I Consider, p. 1472; Methought I Saw, p. 1473; Paradise Lost [read all introductions, arguments, and summaries throughout]: Book I, ll. 1-375--The Fallen Angels; Book IV, Satan in Paradise; Book lX pp. 1578--1593--The Temptation

17. Mon., Nov. 8 [SAMUEL PEPYS, THE DIARY, THE GREAT FIRE, PP. 1846-1850; DRYDEN, IN PRAISE OF CHAUCER, PP. 1844-45]

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, pp. 1856-61

Addison and Steele: The Gentleman, p. 2189; The Spectator's Club, p. 2192; The Aims of the Spectator, p. 2199; Paradise Lost, p. 2206

18. * Wed., Nov. 10 Pope: The Rape of the Lock, pp. 2233-2252

19. * Mon., Nov. 15 Swift: A Voyage to the Country of the Houhynhnms, pp. 2136-2181; Grey's Elegy, pp. 2458-2461

FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, November 17, 8:00-11:00

English 221 is a survey course of major works of English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period through the Eighteenth Century. It is designed for English majors and minors, and while other students may elect to take this course, it is not required for you. It is designed to give students an overview of the various periods and is an introduction to literary analysis and to writing about very sophisticated literary texts. It involves a significant amount of reading and is by no means an easy course. You will be expected to keep up with your reading, to share your opinions with the class (class discussion is a key part of the course), and to write clearly and lucidly about the assignments. If you are not an English major or minor and have chosen this class simply because it fit into a convenient time slot, you might want to reconsider and choose something else. You are, of course, welcome here, but please do not be under any illusions.

METHODS OF EVALUATION

1. Daily quizzes every class meeting on the assignment for that particular day. There will be five questions, centered around plot, and they will count 10 points each. Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class. If you are late or absent, you will miss the quiz. There will be ABSOLUTELY NO MAKE-UPS, but you may drop your lowest grade.

2. Two two-page essays, typed, on subjects to be assigned one week in advance. You will be graded on grammar, content, and organization. If you have difficulty with writing, you should make an appointment at the Writing Skills Center (934-1881) and have a tutor discuss your problems with you. I will be happy to see you myself during office hours or some other appointed time. I will expect you to put considerable effort into these essays. They must not read like a rough draft. 75 points for first essay; 100 for second.

3. A midterm and a final exam, short answers and short essay questions. The final exam will not be comprehensive. 150 points each.

4. Class discussion. As noted above, it is very important that you share your ideas with the class and with me. If you talk in class, I will know what you have learned other than what shows up on the papers and tests. If you have contributed regularly and well, and if your grade is a borderline one, you will receive the higher grade. If you have not, you won't.

5. Please note that on certain unannounced days, rather than having lecture/discussion, I will write a question on the board pertaining to the assigned material and leave it to you to determine the answer in groups without my help. During the second hour, I'll want you to report your findings to the class.