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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "EN 232"
COURSE NAME: "English Literature III: The Victorians to the Modernists"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2015
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Alessandra Grego
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Between Victoria's coronation in 1832 and the end of the Second World War in 1945 Britain acquired and lost an Empire, became a fully industrialised and major capitalist economy, saw the rise and stabilisation of the middle classes as politically and culturally dominant, and generally underwent major critical social, political, cultural and religious transformations. The literature of this time not only reflects these dramatic changes, but actively participates in the definition of theories of gender, class, race and culture.
A continuation of English 231, this course offers a survey of some of these influences as revealed in a selection of the creative writing of the period.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course is a continuation of the Survey EN 231. Students will engage with a broad selection of nineteenth and early twentieth centuries texts and will be encouraged to establish connections between literature and the historical and cultural changes occurring during this period.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Textual familiarity, critical and close reading skills, awareness of the principal literary developments and cultural ideas of the period, ability to identify key authors and genres, the fostering of literary judgment.
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| The Norton Anthology of English Literature - 9th edition, vol. 2 | S.Greenblatt et alii (eds.) | Norton | 978-0393912487 | | | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Mid term paper | 2500 word paper | 20% |
| Research paper | 3000 words paper | 25% |
| Participation | Coming to class having read and considered the assignment, prepared with questions or comments to generate or contribute to class discussion. Silent attendance does not qualify as participation. | 5% |
| 3 close-reading exercises | Textual analysis of a specific work of literature (one poem, one prose text, one dramatic text or essay) | 30% |
| Final exam | | 20% |
| | ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINE - THE TOTAL GRADE OF THE PAPER WILL DROP BY 10% PER DAY OF LATENESS | |
-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
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:
Constant attendance is mandatory. More than 4 unexcused absences will result in a lowering of the final grade and 7 unexcused absences (25% of the course) will result in a failing grade. Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.
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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.
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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.
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SCHEDULE
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| Session |
Session Focus |
Reading Assignment |
Other Assignment |
Meeting Place/Exam Dates |
Week 1
Jan 20-22
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Mon: Introduction to the course. Methodology; what is a survey, how is it useful to study literature chronologically. Wed: Time-line: relevant historical and cultural events between 1830 and 1945 |
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Week 2
Jan 27-29
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Mon: The Victorian Age Wed: The Victorian Sage: Carlyle, Ruskin, Arnold |
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Week 3
Feb 3-5 |
Mon: Industrial revolution, politics, economy, individualism, culture. Wed: the Condition-of-England novels: Dickens, Gaskell, Kingsley, Bronte |
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Week 4
Feb 10-12
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Mon: The idea of the Gentleman: Victorian Earnestness Wed: Charles Dickens: Great Expectations |
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Week 5
Feb 17-19 |
Mon: The concept of love and the “Woman Question” Wed: continued |
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Week 6
Feb 24-26 |
Mon: Empire, “Englishness” and colonialism Wed: continued – George Eliot, Daniel Deronda |
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Week 7
Mar 3-5
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Victorian poetry |
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Mid Term Paper Due
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Week 8
Mar 10-12
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The sensation novel: gothic, horror, crime |
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Week 9
Mar 17-19
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Mon: Late Victorians: Dandies and Aesthetes Wed: Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest |
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| Week 10 Mar 24-26 |
World War I Poets |
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Bibliography due
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Week 11
March 31 Apr 2
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Mon: Turn of the century: Modernism Wed: Modernist Verse |
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Week 12
Apr 14-16
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Modernist novelists: Joseph Conrad, Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, James Joyce |
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Research paper due
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Week 13
Apr 21-23
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Mon: World War II Poets: Henry Reed, The Naming of Parts George Orwell and Dystopia Wed. The theatre of the Absurd |
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Week 14 Apr 28-30
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The theatre of the Absurd |
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