Fall 2010 Professor John Niles
MWF 1:20–2:10 pm Humanities 2650
English 215: British Literature before 1750
(3-4 credits, #74508)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Study of six major authors or works in the English literary tradition from the beginnings to the mid-eighteenth century. Lectures, with weekly discussion sections. The close reading and interpretation of texts will be accompanied, as time permits, by attention to the language in which those texts are written, to changing currents in British cultural and political history, and to critical terms and concepts with which any English major at UW-Madison should be familiar.
Instructor’s Contact Information
Office hours: MF 3-3:50 pm and by appointment, 6131 H.C. White Hall. (608) 265-9836. . Personal website: http://www.wisc.edu/english/jdniles/.
SECTIONS AND SECTION LEADERS
#68864 301 Th 3:30 pm 2115 Humanities Nathaniel Mertes
#68417 302 Th 4:35 pm 2101 Humanities Nathaniel Mertes
#68418 303 M 3:30 pm 2115 Humanities Blaire Zeiders
#68419 304 M 4:35 pm 2111 Humanities Blaire Zeiders
#68421 305 F 8:50 am 2121 Humanities Kristiane Stapleton
#69293 306 F 9:55 am 2211 Humanities Kristiane Stapleton
#70372 307 Th 8:50 am 2131 Humanities Nancy Simpson-Younger
#70373 308 Th 9:55 am 2211 Humanities Nancy Simpson-Younger
#73176 309 T 8:50 am 7105 White Brian Knight
#73177 310 T 9:55 am 7105 White Brian Knight
REQUIREMENTS
Three short analytical papers (ca. 4-6 pages each, counting 10%, 15%, and 20% of the final grade, respectively); a midterm exam (20%); and a final exam (25%). The remainder of the grade (10%) will be determined by evidence of regular and committed participation in the course, as shown by such factors as regular attendance in lectures, regular participation in sections, completion of ungraded response sheets, and performance on quizzes.
On each of five Wednesdays, students are to hand in a single sheet of paper giving thoughtful personal responses—informal, but well written—to the current lectures and readings, while raising real questions about them. As time permits, these ungraded response sheets will be addressed by the instructor at the start of the next lecture. This is one form of “lecture-hall communication.”
A note on plagiarism. Use of plagiarized materials in take-home papers, like any other form of cheating, will result in failure of that assignment and possible failure of the course, with the likelihood of additional consequences. Please ask your section leader if you are in doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism, as opposed to legitimate quotation, which is encouraged.
A note on attendance. While attendance is required in both lectures and sections, you are permitted up to six absences during the term with no consequences. After that, absences (up to a total of ten) will count progressively against your grade. A total of over ten absences is grounds for a grade of “F” in the course. Please note that excuses are not needed for your occasional absences; we will always assume, when you are not present, that you have a good reason. We will also assume that if you are absent more than ten times, you are not actually a participant in the course. The taking of attendance is an automatic feature of English 215.
TEXTS
Beowulf: An Illustrated Edition, trans. by Seamus Heaney, ed. by J. Niles (Norton).
Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, ed. by Jill Mann (Penguin).
Spenser, Edmund Spenser’s Poetry, ed. by Hugh MacLean (Norton).
Donne, Selected English Poems, ed. by Ilona Bell (Penguin).
Milton, Paradise Lost, ed. by John Leonard (Penguin).
Fielding, Tom Jones, ed. by John Bender and Simon Stern (Oxford).
Recommended: M.H. Abrams and Geoffrey Harpham, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 8th edition or later (Thomson/Wadsworth). (Available in College Library Reference Collection, call # PN41 A184 2005b, and in Memorial Library Reference Room, PN41 A184 2009).
PROSPECTIVE SCHEDULE (subject to change):
F Sept 3 Introduction to the course. Introduction to section leaders; aspects of Beowulf as performance.
M Sept 6 LABOR DAY. Recommendation: Why not start reading Tom Jones now (as well as Heaney’s Beowulf), carrying on with that reading throughout the term? Do you realize how long that novel is?
W Sept 8 Beowulf lines 1–1007: prelude; the fight against Grendel.
F Sept 10 Beowulf 1008–1924: the fight against Grendel’s mother and its aftermath.
M Sept 13 Beowulf 1925– 2820: the fight against the dragon.
W Sept 15 Beowulf 2821– end, and wrap-up. Also read Heaney’s “Introduction” (pp. vii–xxiv).
Response sheet #1 due at beginning of class.
F Sept 17 Video: The Story of English, part II: “The Mother Tongue.”
M Sept 20 Chaucer, General Prologue.
W Sept 22 Chaucer, General Prologue. QUIZ 1.
F Sept 24 Chaucer, Miller’s Tale. PAPER #1 DUE AT BEGINNING OF CLASS.
M Sept 27 Chaucer, Miller’s Tale.
W Sept 29 Chaucer, Wife of Bath’s Prologue. QUIZ 2.
F Oct 1 Chaucer, Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale. Guest lecture, Prof. Kellie Robertson.
M Oct 4 Chaucer, Pardoner’s Prologue. QUIZ 3.
W Oct 6 Chaucer, Pardoner’s Tale. Response sheet #2 due at beginning of class.
F Oct 8 Chaucer, Nun’s Priest’s Tale.
M Oct 11 Chaucer, Nun’s Priest’s Tale; Retraction.
W Oct 13 Review.
F Oct 15 MIDTERM EXAMINATION.
M Oct 18 From Chaucer to Spenser and Donne. Spenser’s sonnets. During the next weeks, a reading of one or more of Donne’s poems will be incorporated into each lecture.
W Oct 20 Spenser, Faery Queene, Book I cantos i-ii. Response sheet #3 due at beginning of class.
F Oct 22 Spenser, Book III cantos i-iii. PAPER #2 DUE AT BEGINNING OF CLASS.
M Oct 25 Spenser, Book III cantos iv-vi.
W Oct 27 Spenser, Book III cantos vii-ix. Guest lecture by Prof. Karen Britland.
F Oct 29 Spenser, Book III cantos x-xii.
M Nov 1 Spenser, “Epithalamion.”
W Nov 3 From Spenser and Donne to Milton. Paradise Lost, Book I.
F Nov 5 Milton, Book I (cont.).
M Nov 8 Milton, Book II.
W Nov 10 Milton, Book III. Response sheet #4 due at beginning of class.
F Nov 12 Milton, Book IV.
M Nov 15 Milton, Book IX.
W Nov 17 Milton, Book IX (cont.). Guest lecture by Prof. David Loewenstein (to be confirmed).
F Nov 19 Milton, Book X.
M Nov 22 Milton, Book XI and end of Book XII.
W Nov 24 Movie date, for those who are in town: Tom Jones (Oscar Best Picture, 1963).
F Nov 26 THANKSGIVING BREAK. Don’t forget to pack your Fielding along!
M Nov 29 Fielding, Tom Jones, books I–III.
W Dec 1 Tom Jones, books IV–VI.
F Dec 3 Tom Jones, books VII–IX. PAPER #3 DUE AT BEGINNING OF CLASS.
M Dec 6 Tom Jones, books X–XII. Guest lecture by Prof. Robin Valenza.
W Dec 8 Tom Jones, books XIII–XV. Response sheet #5 due at beginning of class.
F Dec 10 Tom Jones, books XVI–XVIII. Fielding wrap-up.
M Dec 13 Wrap-up to the course; GENERAL REVIEW SESSION. Bring written questions to class. SECTIONS MEET ONLY MTW THIS WEEK.
W Dec 15 READING PERIOD; NO LECTURE.
Saturday Dec. 18, 7:25–9:25pm. FINAL EXAMINATION, place to be announced.
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