Department of English Course Offerings

Autumn 2015

English 1110.01

First Year English Composition

Nan Johnson

English 1110.01 is an introductory writing course that employs methods of rhetorical and cultural analysis to provide students with the tools to think and write analytically. English 1110 fosters elements of effective analytical reading and writing, such as the attempt to persuade, to convey information, and so on, that all academic disciplines emphasize. Students will write three assignments, do weekly informal writing, and participate in small group and large group discussions. Required Texts: Making Sense: A Real-World Rhetorical Reader, 3rd edition. On order at SBS Student Book Store (High Street, 1 blk. south of Long’s).

English 2201

Selected Works of British Literature: Medieval-1800

Hamlin, Hannibal

“Literature is as old as speech. It grew out of human need for it, and it has not changed except to become more needed.”

-- John Steinbeck

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.”

-- C.S. Lewis

Literature is how cultures dream, and writers are the dreamers of our collective hopes and fears, loves and losses, fantasies and realities. Literature is also the womb out of which language is born. This course will explore the first thousand years of literature in English, from Beowulf’s battle with Grendel and the dragon to Gulliver’s shipwreck in the land of the tiny Lilliputians. We will read some of the most influential writers in the history of English literature: Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare, and Milton. We will read poems, plays, and stories about sex, gender, and desire, rage and destruction, wisdom and godliness, and politics and power. We will spend time in the company of priests and playwrights, knights and nuns, angels and shepherdesses, even God and Satan. Major works (whole or in parts) will include Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, The Faerie Queene, The Duchess of Malfi, Paradise Lost, and Gulliver’s Travels. Course requirements will include attendance at weekly lectures, participation in discussion sections, a midterm and final exam, and two short close reading assignments. Required Text: The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th edition, vol. 1.

English 2202

British Literature 1800 - Present

Thomas Davis

This course will provide a survey of literature composed within the British world-system from the turn of the 19th century to the present day. We will attend closely to the formal and stylistic developments of different periods of literary history—romanticism, realism, modernism, postmodernism—with an eye on the political and historical antagonisms that accompany and underwrite these aesthetic innovations. Course requirements include a few quizzes, a midterm, and a final.

English2202H

Selected Works of British Literature 1800 to the Present

Simmons, Clare

English 2202H is a course designed to introduce students to the major periods in British literature from 1800 to the present, namely, the Romantic, Victorian, Modern, and (very briefly) the Postmodern periods, through the study of representative works and central ideas. The course provides a historical and contextual foundation for advanced-level study of British literature and also fulfills the General Education Literature and Global Studies categories.

A loose theme for this course will be British literature’s representation of the tension between a rationalist understanding of the material world and the world of imagination and feeling—or as Jane Austen expressed it, Sense and Sensibility, the title of the first novel that we will read; or Fact and Fancy, as Dickens’s characters call the distinction in Hard Times. We will also touch upon major literary and aesthetic concerns such as the sublime and picturesque; realism; the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic movements; and stream of consciousness narration. We will read poetry, fiction, and a little non-fiction prose and drama by authors such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Austen, Keats, Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Dickens, Wilde, Joyce, Woolf, Lawrence, Beckett, and Rushdie.

Requirements. 2202H differs from the non-Honors version in being taught not as a lecture but as a seminar; that is, while there will be a lecturing component, group discussion is just as important. Careful reading in advance, regular attendance, and active participation are expected. To introduce the Victorian, Modern, and Postmodern periods, class members will do some background research on aspects of history, life, and attitudes towards literature of the time period and give ten-minute informative presentations to the group. The other main requirements are two papers; quizzes; and completion of reading questions in advance of class.

Required Texts.

Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility (Oxford World’s Classics)

Charles Dickens, Hard Times, edited by Jeff Nunokawa and Gage C. McWeeny (Longman Cultural Editions)

The Longman Anthology of British Literature 2nd compact edition volume 2B, ed. David Damrosch et al (Pearson Longman).

English 2220H

Honors Introduction to Shakespeare

Luke Wilson

Ben Jonson famously praised Shakespeare as being "not for an age, but for all time." In some sense he was both. He produced plays we still read and watch today and in that sense seems as much "for" our time as "for" his own; and yet his plays were intimately embedded in the literary, political, cultural and material fabric of late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century English life. In this course we'll try to keep an eye on both the fact on his continuing appeal and his engagement with the times in which he wrote. We'll read plays by Shakespeare in the major dramatic genres -- comedy, history, tragedy and what later came to be called romance -- as well as some of his poems. Requirements: Several short papers, a longer paper, some ancillary research exercises, a class presentation, and (possibly) a final exam. Text: The Norton Shakespeare, ed. Stephen Greenblatt, et al. 3rd ed. (2015).

English 2220

Introduction to Shakespeare

Richard Dutton

This course offers an introduction to Shakespeare's mastery of four genres: romantic or festive comedy (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night), chronicle history (1 Henry 4, Henry 5), tragedy (Hamlet, Othello, King Lear) and romance/tragicomedy (The Tempest). We will look at these plays in the context of Shakespeare's times and of the society and theatre for which he wrote, but with reference to modern film treatments where these are illuminating. (The schedule of plays may alter if the opportunity arises to see live Shakespeare performance). Students will be encouraged to pursue appropriate secondary reading. Assessment will be based on two papers (3/5 sides), plus quizzes, class participation and a final. (Anyone who receives a B+ or better on either of the papers may opt to do a long paper -10-12 sides - in lieu of the final.)

Required Texts: You should have modern, annotated texts of all the plays specified above, either in individual copies (Folger, Oxford, Cambridge, Bedford are all good) or a Complete Shakespeare (Riverside, Bevington or Pelican are best: AVOID NORTON). The Necessary Shakespeare (ed. Bevington) is a good compromise, slightly cheaper and manageable to carry. The point is to have texts which, with introductions, annotations etc. enable you to make an informed reading of the plays.

English 2260

Introduction to Poetry

David Riede

This course is intended as an introduction to major poems and poets in the English language, and will examine poems in historical, literary historical and broader cultural contexts. We will be concerned especially with poetic form and craft and the many and various uses of such forms as sonnets, ballads, odes, blank and rhymed verse and so on, and we will also focus on the crafting of voice, tone, imagery, sound, and rhythm. The textbook will be R.S. Gwynn’s Poetry: A Pocket Anthology, seventh edition, and will be supplemented by additional readings on Carmen. Requirements: attendance and participation, 3 short critical essays (3-5 pages each) and frequent in-class writing.

English 2260

Introduction to Poetry: Ohio Poets

Molly Farrell

This course explores the flourishing of poetry by writers with a deep connection to Ohio. From James Wright and Paul Lawrence Dunbar to Rita Dove and Vijay Seshadri, we will investigate the cultural corners of the state through the work of its acclaimed poets. How do these poems teach us to understand, enjoy, and appreciate poetry? And how does a better understanding of poetry help us to see this particular place in new ways? Beginning in the nineteenth century up to the present day, we will explore various trends in poetic form and gain a sophisticated understanding of poetic terms. Connections to Ohio will work as a lens with which to view larger developments in American poetry, while at the same time we will investigate the ways the state’s particular geography and history foster literary experimentation and engagement.

English 2261H

Introduction to Fiction

Prinz, Jessica

English 2261H will be taught this semester as an introduction to 20th century fiction, American and British. We will discuss the elements of fiction and read broadly in the genres of short stories and novels. Longer works will be considered: Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury,” Morrison’s “Beloved,” Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go,” Jennifer Egan’s “A Visit from the Goon Squad” or some other recent text. Additional and/or alternative readings may be assigned. Course Requirements: a participation grade including attendance, discussions, and class presentations; two exams (midterm and final); two short papers (5 pages each). Writing text will be, “They Say, I Say,” by Graff.

English 2261

Fantasy Fiction set in Oxford: An introduction to the Study of Fiction

Sebastian Knowles

This course will constitute ak study of fantasy fiction set in Oxford, or written by Oxfordians from the Victorian period to the present day. We will read works by C. S. Lewis (The Magician's Nephew), Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass), J. R. R. Tolkien (The Return of the King, Book 2), Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass), Kenneth Grahame (The Wind in the Willows), Evelyn Waugh (Brideshead Revisited), and Edmund Crispin (The Moving Toyshop). There will be 2 papers and occasional quizzes - no midterm or final exams.

English 2261

Introduction to Fiction: True Stories: Lies in Fiction

Cariello, Matthew

This course will be based on the idea that fiction lies. Over the course of the semester, we’ll to apply this idea to a number of works in order to see how well the premise stands up. Each of the texts we’ll view or read has at its center a character or characters unwilling or unable to deal directly with the events of the story. You will be asked to examine these stories to see how the lies that are told indirectly reveal truths larger than could be directly communicated.

Course texts: Books: J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Clinton Portis’ True Grit; Films: Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon,” Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window,” Christopher Nolan’s “Memento”; and numerous stories posted on Carmen.

English 2263

Introduction to Film

David Brewer

This course will explore the formal and technological means through which stories are told on film, and how those techniques interact with the film industry and the viewers on which it relies. Among other things, we’ll consider casting, set decoration, cinematography, editing, sound, special effects, genre, financing, distribution, fandom, and the star system. Throughout, our emphasis will be on bringing out and building upon the skills as a viewer that you’ve already developed over two decades or more of watching.

Likely viewings include The Avengers, Bonnie and Clyde, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Godzilla, Goodfellas, Juno, some Looney Tunes cartoons, Kick Ass, Marie Antoinette, Moonrise Kingdom, Ocean’s Eleven, The Philadelphia Story, Silence of the Lambs, Singing in the Rain, and Some Like It Hot.

Course requirements will include a viewing journal, three take-home exams, and regular participation in our discussions, both in lecture and in recitation.

English 2265

Writing of Fiction I

So, Angela

This course will focus on the craft of writing fiction with an emphasis on the short story. To understand fiction writing, students will analyze the craft techniques in the works of established authors. In particular, we will examine characterization, plot and structure, scene and summary, points of view, voice, setting, and dialogue. Students will then employ these techniques in a series of short creative assignments and in the creation and revision of a longer piece of work. Class discussion will center on students’ original works, as well as the works of published authors. Readings may include such authors as: George Saunders, Junot Diaz, Jennifer Egan, and ZZ Packer.

English 2265

Writing Fiction I

Risinger, Memory

This course seeks curious, discerning, diligent, and courteous students who are interested in the craft of writing fiction. We will read. We will write. We will eavesdrop. We will stare. We will talk. We will listen. We will do these things because they contribute to “the writing self” and we’ll spend the semester exploring that creative self while also examining the mechanisms of good fiction.

Our Wednesday and Friday class time will be divided between writing exercises and discussions of craft. Readings will consist of mostly short stories and novel excerpts. I might throw in the occasional poem. Expect surprises. Expect to talk a lot, participate in writing exercises, give a presentation, and write a short story. We will use the second half of the semester to workshop your stories as a class.

If you are seeking an honest creative community this course is for you. Thomas Mann said, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” While this course may not make writing less difficult, we will work together to make the blank page a little less intimidating. Text: Jerome Stern, Making Shapely Fiction; other readings will be available on Carmen.

English 2265

Writing of Fiction I

Leven, Joshua

English 2265

The Writing of Fiction I

Bryant, Chelsie

This course will focus on learning the craft of writing fiction through the critical reading of short stories. In the first half of the semester, we will be working on learning to read as a writer. We will spend each week discussing how the selected stories demonstrate such tools as plot, structure, characterization, point of view, dialogue, and voice. At the end of some class periods, we may complete short, in-class writing assignments in order to engage and practice some of the techniques seen in the contemporary short fiction we will be critically reading and discussing that day. Our readings will include these contemporary writers: Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum, Raymond Carver, Sandra Cisneros, Danielle Evans, Richard Ford, Roxane Gay, Amy Hempel, Shirley Jackson, Kelly Link, Elizabeth McCracken, Steven Milhauser, Thisbe Nissen, Joyce Carol Oates, Flannery O’Connor, ZZ Packer, Stacey Richter, George Saunders, Lysley Tenorio, and Kevin Wilson. In the second half of the semester, we will spend our class time focusing on your own, original fiction.

English 2266

Writing of Poetry 1

Harvey, Mikko

In this class, we will read and write and discuss poems. Poems can work in many ways, and we will experiment wildly. In addition to studying the history of poetry, we will look at other forms of art—music, film, comedy, photography, painting—and think about what poets can learn from them. There is no textbook for this class, but you will be expected to complete short readings each week. No prior experience with poetry is needed.

English 2266

Writing Poetry I

Barnhart, Graham

This course is designed to introduce students to the practice of writing, work-shopping, and revising poetry. The majority of class time will be spent in workshop, which means the majority of the coursework will be the writing of one's own poetry as well as earnest critical engagement with the poetry of your classmates. Students will be expected to write roughly one poem per week in response to variety of prompts. Our work and discussion in the classroom will be informed by our readings of the work of established contemporary and canonical poets. We will also be looking at the world of publishing poetry, with students presenting on a published collection or literary journal of their choosing.

English 2267

Introduction to Creative Writing