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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "EN 240"
COURSE NAME: "Women Writers"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 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:
by appointment
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is a survey of women writers in the English literary tradition from the Middle Ages to the present. Students are expected to engage with feminist theory and selected essays.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course is an overview of the work by women writers in English. The aim of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive idea of how the very concept of literature by women has taken shape and developed alongside Feminism and Feminist theory.
Studying literature by women from a historical, social and literary perspective, this course focuses on representative literature by women writing in English and investigates the concept of gendered identities. Reading different forms (essay, poetry, drama, fiction), students will explore the cultural contexts in which women have produced and consumed literature, will learn to identify recurring themes and motifs in literature by women and to understand and adopt a theoretical approach to literature.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will learn how to approach literature from a theoretical perspective, how to evaluate the influence of cultural and historical contexts on literary products, how to identify, critically consider and discuss literature by women.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| study questions or short comment papers | | 60% |
| Research paper | 5 page research paper | 15% |
| Final exam | | 20% |
| class contribution | Silent attendance does not count towards this portion of the grade. | 5% |
-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 cou
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 ____________
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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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Week 1
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Introduction: What do we mean by “Women’s literature” – what is Feminist theory – basic concepts and keywords.
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Week 2
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Eliza Haywood, Fantomina, or Love in a Maze, 1725
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Week 3
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Essays on the Woman Question. Mary Wallstonecraft,”A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” Virginia Woolf, “A Room of One’s Own.”
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Week 4
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Women and the Abolition of Slavery : Anna Letitia Barbauld, Abigail Adams, Hannah More, Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman?”
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Week 5
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19th cent poetry: Elisabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson
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Week 6
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The Body: Fanny Burney, “A mastectomy;” Djuna Barnes, “How it feels to be forcibly fed;” Anais Nin, “Birth;” Maya Angelou, “Phenomenal Woman;” Anne Sexton, “In Celebration of my Uterus.”
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Week 7
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Short Stories: Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “If I were a man;” Radclyffe Hall, “Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself;”
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Week 8
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Feminist Discourse: Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar, from “The Madwoman in the Attic,” Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class and Sex,” Geraldine Heng, “A Great Way to Fly.”
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Week 9
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Women, Race and Ethnicity. Zora Neale Hurston, “How it Feels to be Colored Me;” Maxine Hong Kingston, “No Name Woman.” Maya Angelou, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
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Week 10
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Feminist re-writing: Margaret Atwood, “There Was Once;” Angela Carter, “In the Company of Wolves.”
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Week 11
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Adrienne Rich, “When We Dead Awaken”
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Week 12
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Poetry: H.D.;Dorothy Parker; Stevie Smith; Sylvia Plath; Adrienne Rich
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Week 13
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20th century theatre: Caryl Churchill, “Cloud Nine”
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Week 14
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Conclusions
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Week 15
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Final Examination
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