Dr. McDermott's English 336 Syllabus

Eng 336 — Early Modern
English Literature
TR 11:00-12:20 pm

Dr. Kristen McDermott
Office: AN 220
Phone: 774-3364
Office Hours: TR 9:30-10:30 AM, 12:30-1:30 PM, and by appointment
email me:

FALL 2003 HANDOUTS

Textbooks and Other Materials

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Seventh Edition, Vol. 1B: The Sixteenth Century and The Early Seventeenth Century, ed. Abrams, Greenblatt, et al.

The course website is available through Blackboard, and through my home page at URL http://chsbs.cmich.edu/Kristen_McDermott/

Course Description:

This course introduces the upper level English major to the literature of the English Early Modern period, usually defined as dating from 1485 to 1660. This era, often referred to as “The English Renaissance,” was a period of tremendous scope and achievement encompassing not only the reigns of the great Tudor kings and queens and the overthrow of the Stuarts, but also the emergence of Humanism and Puritanism, and the exploration of both the New World and of former attitudes toward such issues as authority, justice, and love. The literature of the period represents a flowering both of these ideas and of the literary forms generated by these ideas, in poetry most notably the sonnet sequences borrowed from the continent and the epic inspired by the humanistic revival of the classics, and in prose, the essay and the meditation. This period is also the first great era of English drama.

This course is not purely a survey, since the wealth of important material is impossible to cover completely in a single semester. Instead, English 336 will focus on the major figures of the period (who are also some of the major figures of all English literature, and are writers to whom all subsequent writers react), specifically Spenser, Jonson, Donne, and Milton. Non-canonical writers will be included whenever possible. Shakespeare is omitted because there is already a separate course on his works.

Course Objectives:

• to familiarize students with the major historical and cultural events of the period.

• to help students analyze and explicate individual poems and literary texts of the period, and then synthesize and evaluate themes and ideas presented in the texts.

• to enable students to recognize the influence of developments in Early Modern English literature and thought on their own history and culture.

On the basis of assigned readings, class discussions and the writing of essays, the students should be able to do the following:

• Identify the distinguishing characteristics of the following genres: sonnet, lyric, epic, pastoral, essay, meditation, character, comedy, satire, and tragedy.

• Identify the major themes and ideas important to the literature of the Early Modern period.

• Identify the characteristic styles of major authors of the period.

• Define the literary terminology appropriate to the study of literature of this period.

• Master close-reading skills appropriate to the literature of this period.

• Analyze the relationship between Early Modern English literature and its source materials.

• Identify the contributions of women writers to the period.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

ENG 336 is a lecture and discussion course in which each day’s work builds on your familiarity with earlier material; your regular attendance is necessary for success in the course. Moreover, because we meet only twice a week, any missed classes will leave a big hole in your preparation for exams. Formal attendance will be taken, and group work, quizzes or discussion questions missed for unexcused reasons cannot be made up.

All assignments are due in class on the day specified in the course schedule. Late work will be penalized one full grade unless you have notified me ahead of time — via phone or email — of illness or other emergency. The definition of “emergency” is subject to my judgment, and I will almost always require some documentation.

Assignments:

Critical essays and projects: At least one formal essay involving some research and one other writing project will be assigned. Essays will be expected to adhere to all usual standards of academic essay structure, argumentation, and technical accuracy.

Class Discussion: Students will be expected to make substantial contributions to class discussion, both orally and in the form of prepared short writings. These will be assigned throughout the semester. It is expected that all reading will be done before the relevant class; it is the student’s responsibility to seek any needed assistance with reading comprehension.

Exams: There will be two exams in this course: the Midterm Exam will be taken in-class, and will contain both objective and short essay questions. The Final Exam will be a take-home essay exam, due on the final exam date, Thursday, December 11. Short quizzes, announced or unannounced, may be given at the instructor’s discretion and will be factored into the Class Participation grade.

Extra Credit will be available to students who opt to attend and write a formal critique of the CMU SCDA production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, to be presented in Bush Theatre 11/5-11/9. Guidelines for this assignment will be provided.

CMU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs, activities or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should first register with the Office of Student Disability Services (250 Foust Hall, phone 989.774.3018, TDD #2568), and then contact me as soon as possible.

Evaluation:

Critical essays and projects 40%

Exams (midterm and final) 40%

Class Participation/Discussion questions 20%

ACADEMIC HONESTY: CMU’s policy states: “Because academic integrity is a cornerstone of the University’s commitment to the principles of free inquiry, students are responsible for learning and upholding professional standards of research, writing, assessment, and ethics in their areas of study. In the academic community the high value placed on truth implies a corresponding intolerance of scholastic dishonesty. Written or other work which students submit must be the product of their own efforts and must be consistent with appropriate standards of professional ethics. Academic dishonesty, which includes cheating, plagiarism and other forms of dishonest or unethical behavior, is prohibited.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

Note: readings must be completed by the class meeting for which they are listed. All readings are in the Norton Anthology unless otherwise noted. Schedule subject to change as needed.

T-8/26	Introduction to the course: Renaissance, Reformation, Revolution
R-8/28	Introduction to the History of England in the Sixteenth Century: Humanism, Reformation, Tudor Politics
T-9/2	Early Modern Humanism and More’s Utopia, pp. 503-523
R-9/4	The ideal of the “Renaissance Man” — Castiglione’s The Courtier, pp. 577-593
T-9/9	Neoplatonic Philosophy, the Petrarchan Tradition, and the sonnet form: Wyatt, Sidney, Spenser, Wroth (reading assignment TBA)
R-9/11	Sonnets
T-9/16	16^th c. Allegory and Mythmaking: Spenser’s “Epithalamion,” pp. 868-878
R-9/18	Faerie Queene “Letter of the Authors” and Book 1, cantos 1-3, pp. 624-662
T-9/23	Faerie Queene Book 1, cantos 4-8, pp. 662-721
R-9/25	Faerie Queene Book 1, cantos 9-12, pp. 721-772
T-9/30	Faerie Queene Book 2, canto 12 pp. 772-783,
R-10/2	Faerie Queene Book 3, cantos 1-3, pp. 783-819
T-10/7	Faerie Queene Book 3, cantos 5-6, 819-839
R-10/9	Sixteenth Century Literary Theory: Sidney’s “The Defense of Poesy,” pp. 933-954
T-10/14	Travel Narratives and “New World” Voyages: Hariot, Ralegh, etc., and Montaigne’s “Of Cannibals,” pp. 889-906, handout
R-10/16	Midterm Exam: Sixteenth Century Literature and Backgrounds
T-10/21	Introduction to Seventeenth-Century Politics and Court Culture; The Jonsonian Masque, pp. 1294-1303
R-10/23	The Jonsonian Masque
T-10/28	Defining “Metaphysical” Poetry Donne: Lyrics and Elegies readings TBA
R-10/30	Donne: Lyrics and Elegies readings TBA
T-11/4	Seventeenth Century Lyric: Jonson and other Neoclassic Poets, readings TBA
R-11/6	Herrick, Lovelace, readings TBA
T-11/11	Donne’s religious poetry and sermons readings TBA
R-11/13	Herbert, Vaughan, and other religious poets readings TBA
T-11/18	Early Seventeenth-Century Prose: Francis Bacon, Thomas Browne, and others, readings TBA
R-11/20	Imagining Early Modern Women: Lanyer, Cary, Wroth, and other female poets, readings TBA
T-11/25	The Duchess of Malfi, Acts 1-2, pp. 1432-1459
R-11/27	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
T-12/2	The Duchess of Malfi, Acts 3-5, pp. 1459-1507
R-12/4	Course review, hand out take-home final
R-12/11	FINAL EXAMS DUE IN MY OFFICE BETWEEN 10-11:50AM

This page maintained and moderated by Prof. Kristen McDermott, Central Michigan University.
Questions or comments? Email me, please.

ã Kristen McDermott, 2007-11. The materials on these pages are intended solely for the use of Central Michigan University students currently enrolled in my courses or who are considering enrolling in my courses. Use of this material, especially syllabi, in any other context is prohibited without first obtaining permission from Dr. McDermott.

CMU, an AA/EO institution, is strongly and actively committed to increasing diversity within its community (see http://www.cmich.edu/aaeo). Central Michigan University provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in university activities, programs and services. Individuals with disabilities requiring an accommodation to participate in an activity, program or service should call the activity, program or service director.

This page last updated: 09/15/2011

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY