Survey of English Literature I

TEXT:

GRADING POLICY:

NOTE: The dates for the exams are firm, and no make-up exams will be given.
 

The exams cover material we have discussed in class up to that date and consist of identification of quotations important literary terms, and/or historical figures. For each quotation identification, you will need to provide the name of the work and author where the quotation appears and write a paragraph (of around 5 sentences) where you discuss the significance of the quotation. For the identification of important terms and/or historical figures, you will need to write a short paragraph (of around 3 sentences) where you discuss the significance of that item.

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to English literature written between 596 and 1800. We will be reading many texts in a short period of time. You expected to have read the texts assigned before the beginning of class and to be prepared to discuss them. Some of the readings are difficult because they are written in a manner you may not be used to reading. Be prepared to spend some time reading these texts in order to understand them. For these reasons, you will not be writing any literary analysis essays for this class. For each work, I will be posting discussion topics; students should review these topics before reading the works and be prepared to participate in the class discussion.

Attendance will not be taken. Students who are absent are responsible for any material missed.

As a courtesy to your fellow students and to your professor, please arrive to class on time, and turn off all cellular telephones.

This syllabus suggests more the order in which we are going to be discussing the works rather than the actual day in we will be discussing them.  Check below in the Upcoming Assignments section for the assignments for the upcoming week. The Study Questions are linked to the text.

In addition to the specific literary works listed below, you must read in the textbook the introductory material for the periods and for the authors we will be covering.

NOTE FOR ALL THE EXAMS: BE ON TIME BECAUSE ONCE THE FIRST PERSON FINISHES THE EXAM AND LEAVES THE ROOM THE EXAM WILL BE COMPROMISED AND ANY ONE ARRIVING THEREAFTER WILL BE CONSIDERED BEING ABSENT FOR THE EXAM.

DATE	READING ASSIGNMENT
August 23	Introduction to the Anglo-Saxon Period (596-1066)
August 25
August 27	Beowulf (p. 29)
August 30
September 01	Introduction to the Medieval Period (1066-1485)
September 03	Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (p. 160)
September 06	Labor Day–No School
September 08	Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue (p. 218)
September 09	Chaucer, “The Miller’s Tale” (p. 239)
September 13
September 15	Everyman (p. 463)
September 17	EXAM # 1
September 20	Introduction to the Renaissance (1485-1660)
September 22	Spencer, The Faerie Queene Book 1 (p. 719)
September 24	Sidney, “Astrophil and Stella, Sonnet #9” (p. 977)
September 27	Sidney, The Defence of Poesy (p. 953)
September 29	Marlowe, Dr. Faustus (p. 1023)
October 01
October 04	Shakespeare, King Lear (p. 1139)
October 06	Donne, “The Flea” (p. 1263)
October 08	Donne, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” (p. 1275)
October 11	Jonson, Volpone (p. 1334)
October 13	Marvell, “To His Coy Mistress” (p. 1703)
October 15	EXAM # 2
October 18	Milton, Lycidas (p. 1805)
October 20	Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 1(p. 1830)
October 22
October 25	Introduction to the Restoration and the 18th Century (1660-1800)
October 27	Dryden, “Mac Flecknoe” (p. 2111)
October 29	Behn, Oronooko (p. 2183)
November 01
November 03	Congreve, The Way of the World (p. 2228)
November 05	Swift, Modest Proposal (p. 2462)
November 08
November 10	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (p. 2323)
November 12	EXAM # 3
November 15	Pope, Essay on Criticsm, (p. 2496)
November 17	Pope, The Rape of the Lock (p. 2513)
November 19
November 22	Johnson, “The Vanity of Human Wishes” (p. 2666)
November 24	Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (p. 2867)
November 26	Thanksgiving–No School
November 29	Goldsmith, “The Deserted Village” (p. 2877)
December 01
December 03	The birth of the novel
December 06	EXAM #4 9:45-11:45 A.M. Note the earlier time.

ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT CLASS MEETINGS

Monday, December 6: EXAM #4 9:45-11:45 A.M. Note the earlier time.

COURSE LINKS

The Faerie Queene plot summary

Monarchs:  pictures of many of the monarchs we are studying.

Literary Figures:  pictures of many of the authors we are reading.

Other Important Figures:  pictures of some of the other important figures discussed.