Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 301 H"
COURSE NAME: "Selected Topics in the Restoration and 18th Century: Satire and Science - HONORS (This course carries 4 semester hours of credits. A minimum CUM GPA of 3.5 is required)"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Livia Sacchetti
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 1:30-2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above.
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course explores a particular moment, theme, or genre within the broader context of English literature of this period. Possible topics include the works of Dryden, Pope, Johnson and their circles, the impact of the sentimental movement upon neo-classical culture, and a survey of fiction of the 18th century. This is a reading and writing intensive course. Students in 300-level literature classes are required to produce 5-6,000 words of critical writing.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course will explore the rise of satire as a dominant genre in the restoration and pre-romantic period in light of the development of a new conceptualization of the human. Specific texts will be read in considering new ideas on anthropology, as well as human existence framed in a post-Copernican and post-Galilean cosmology. Students will read satires by John Dryden, Alexander Pope, Samuel Johnson, and Jonathan Swift exploring the progressive questioning of an inherent meaning in human action and the progressive formal undoing of literary tropes and paradigms (such as heroism; narrative structure; narrative perspective). While enlightenment takes shape as the triumph of human reason, satire emerges to challenge this assumption.

John Dryden, Mac Flecknoe

Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock

Samuel Johnson, The History of Rasselas

Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels

Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal

Additional required reading

Maryam Farid, Sulaiman Ahmad, Khushnood Arshad. Overpopulation as a Social Catastrophe in Ireland: An Analysis of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal from the Perspective of the Malthusian Catastrophe. Journal of Social Sciences Review, 3(2), 446-459.

Extracts from:

Tzvetan Todorov. In Defence of Enlightenment. London: Atlantic Books, 2009.

Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. Dialectic of Enlightenment. London: Verso books, 2016.

Extracts from scientific essays and papers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this course students will have learned the influence of new philosophical and scientific ideas on literary form and will have developed rudimentary interdisciplinary skills. Students will write three critical papers adopting an interdisciplinary perspective on the texts studied. They will also write a final exam assessing their capacity to approach a given text from one of the perspectives studied in the course.

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Comments	Local Bookstore
Gulliver's Travels	Jonathan Swift	Penguin Classics	9780141439495	Any edition, including online editions is acceptable.	Almost Corner Bookshop
Gulliver's Travels	Jonathan Swift	Penguin Classics	9780141439495	Any edition, including online editions is acceptable.	Almost Corner Bookshop
Gulliver's Travels	Jonathan Swift	Penguin Classics	978-0141439495	Any edition, including online editions is acceptable.	Almost Corner Bookshop

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Class Participation and smaller assignments/ outlines		5%
First Essay	1600-1800 words, at leat three sources	15%
Second Essay	1500-1800 words, at least 3 sources	20%
Final paper	1800- 2100 words research focus	20%

Final Exam	close-text analysis	20%
Fourth Essay	1600-1800 words; interdisciplinary focus	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 is mandatory. After three absences, your overall grade for the course is reduced with each additional absence (unless these are excused by the Dean).

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

Introduction

to the theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Critical readings and discussion

Satire as a literary form. The Enlightenment, science, and a new conceptualization of the human.

Week 2

Introduction to

Dryden and Mac Flecknoe.

Week 3

Dryden, satire,

science.

Week 4

Dryden, satire,

science.

Week 5

Introduction to

Alexander Pope and The Rape of the Lock

Week 6

Pope, satire,

science

Week 7

Pope, satire,

science

Week 8

Introduction

to Samuel Johnson

and The History of Rasselas

Week 9

Johnson,

satire, science

Week 10

Johnson,

satire, science

Week 11

Introduction

to Jonathan Swift and Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal

Week 12

Swift, satire, science

Week 13

Swift, satire, science

Week 14

Swift, satire, science

Week 15

Final

Examination