Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 360"
COURSE NAME: "Representations of the Female in Literature: 50 Women"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Nefeli Misuraca
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 3:00-4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite:EN 110 with a grade of C or higher and one other literature course or Junior standing.
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course examines how women have been historically represented in literature as cultural images by both male and female authors. The course considers how the written representation of the female body and personality, idealized or realistic, has changed through history and has, in turn, changed culture and history itself. The idea of “woman” will be interrogated via literary and cultural theories of form, structure, and style.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course provides students with the opportunity to engage the major theories in literature that have informed our contemporary approach to literary representations of women. This course aims to demonstrate how literature has collaborated in creating a culturale image of "the woman" across time.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The students will be able to understand how the concept of the Female has been interpreted in history informing, in turn, our contemporary concept.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number
The Norton Introduction to Literature. Shorter 11th ed., W.W..	Mays, Kelly J.	Norton, 2013	ISBN: 9780393923391
Man and the Sacred	Roger Caillois	University of Illinois Press	0252070348
The Straight Mind and Other Essays	Monique Wittig	Beacon Press	978-0807079171
The Selected Writings of Christine De Pizan	Christine De Pizan	Norton Critical Editions)	978-0393970104
Clara : A Novel	Janice Galloway	Simon & Schuster	0684844494

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Attendance	Attendance & Participation 10% Assignments, Classwork & Readings Discussion 20% 3 take-home tests (4 open-ended questions each) 30% Final Project (a 7-page essay) 20% Final Exam 20%	10
Readings and discussions		20
3 take home tests		30
Final Project		20
Final Exam		20

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1

A brief overview of Roger Caillois' Man and the Sacred will summarize the most important anthropological studies on the image of the woman in culture. Readings: Roger Caillois, Man and the Sacred (introduction, 10 pages)

Week 2

Goddess or harpy. The case of Penelope vs. Helen of Troy, the faithful vs. the unfaithful – Helen standing up to Menelaus.Readings: Gorgias, Encomium of Helen; Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; Marlowe, Doctor Faustus (total pages: 12)

Week 3

The Middle Ages: saint, heroine, proto-feminist. Saint Catherine of Siena as an example of a politician; her letters to kings, queens and popes showing an unwavering strength and fearlessness. Joan of Arc and the use of rhetoric; the transcript of her trial showing incredible strength and inexplicable knowledge of laws and the human soul. Christine de Pizan, the first woman to have her own publishing house, writing treatises on the role of women in society. Readings: Christine de Pizan, Catherine of Siena, Joan of Arc (The trial) (total pages: 15). Peer-review and brain-storming for second paper.

Week 4

Introducing Macbeth and the figure of the witch. Readings: Macbeth, 8 pages.

Week 5 Midterm.

Week 6

Peer-review of second paper and brainstorming / open discussion for third paper.

Week 7

The Renaissance woman: damsel in distress, ruthless ruler, patron of the arts. The case of Ophelia in Hamlet. The “witty woman” in Shakespeare. Readings: Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merry Wives of Windsor; Hamlet; Maria Bellonci, Private Renaissance (total pages: 18).

Week 8

The woman’s body in Gender Literature. Readings: Nancy Worman, The Body as Argument (9 pages).

Week 9

The courtesan and the modern female writers. From Veronica Franco, 16^th century courtesan and poet, to Louis XV’s favorite Madame de Pompadour. Readings: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. Monique Wittig, One is not Born a Woman (total pages: 10)

Week 10

The image of the Temptress and of the “Good lady”. Richardson took the world by storm with his novels – what kind of woman in Pamela? Who is Clarissa, and how these two women influenced the female readership? Readings: Richardson, Pamela, Clarissa and the Brontë sisters (total: 12 pages).

Week 11

Sexuality – The 19^th century case of The Portrait of Madame X. Women who hid their writings from Jane Austen to Emily Dickinson. Readings: Jane Austen (excerpts); Emily Dickinson, poems (total pages: 7)

Week 12

The successful woman and artist: From Virginia Woolf to Frida Kahlo. Readings: Virginia Woolf, Orlando; Janice Galloway, Clara (total pages: 8).

Week 13

Project presentations.

Week 14

Course recap.

Week 15

Final Exam.