Dr. Phyllis Thompson                                                                                                                      

Department of English, East Tennessee State University

Office Hours: TR 12:35-1PM, 3:35-4PM; WF 1-3PM & by appointment

TEL: 423.439.5997; E: thompsop@etsu.edu

                                                                                        

ENGLISH 2210: BRITISH LITERATURE SURVEY I

Metempsychosis: A Literary Journey

from the Mead Halls of the Eighth Century to the Seamy Underbelly of the Enlightenment

 

 

 

 

Required Texts: The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 1a,b,c, 8th ed.

 

 

Course Description:

Metempsychosis is a recent field of study that takes as its objective a retracing of the steps of the past.  In this course, we will embark on a journey that departs from a literary port of call—the mead halls of 8th-century—and that, at the end of the semester, docks somewhere in the seamy underbelly of 18th-century England.  During the semester, we will battle monstrous mothers, be amazed by supernatural green knights, follow pilgrims toward Canterbury and hear their tales of fabliau, discover an anchoress’ mystical visions and a medieval housewife’s autobiography, spy on lovers, witness the dis-embowelment of a royal prince-turned-slave, burn London, dally in daily receipts, ponder the rape of a lock, witness a radical mastectomy (without anesthesia), and explore a few back streets and dark alleyways.  This course provides us with the opportunity to investigate various genres, literary traditions, and historical periods.  As readers, we will think of ourselves as literary critics as well as social, political, and economic historians.  While we will explore the cultural contexts in which works are written and that affect the development of literature, our primary concern will be to read literary selections closely and revel in them—to understand, analyze, and appreciate their richness and variety of form, language, and content.  To this end, we will pay careful attention to textual detail as well as to larger themes and patterns.  Because this is a writing intensive course, we will also study relevant terms and techniques of literary criticism to make our papers and discussions more precise.  Topics our discussions are likely to engage include the relationship of the present to the past, of the individual to society, and of the individual to institutions and systems (such as government, law, medicine, religion, education, or industry); problems of self-discovery and identity; questions of love, marriage, and morality; questions of gender, class, and race; and the role of the artist and of literature in investigating, articulating, and affecting all of these issues.  To facilitate lively discussions, our class will run very much like a seminar and reading group.

 

 

Course Objectives: Upon completing this course, you should be able to

·         Recognize the themes and styles of a variety of British writers and literary periods

·         Relate texts to their cultural, historical, and political contexts

·         Discuss literary texts with interest and intelligence

·         Write a well-supported, cohesive literary analysis using accurate MLA documentation

 

 

Course Requirements and Grading:

 

Daily Writing Assignments                                                                                                                                               10%

                DW 1.  Cultural Presentation: Topic/Date Proposal (typed)

DW 2.  Literary Analysis: Thesis Statement & Topic Sentence Assignment (typed)

                DW 3.  Literary Analysis: Writer’s Chart (for one paragraph)

                DW 4.  Literary Analysis: Paragraph (typed and w/Writer’s Chart for full credit)

                DW 5.  Pilgrim Assignment: __________________________ (typed)

DW 6:  Literary Analysis: Writer’s Workshop—draft of essay

                DW 7:  Poetry Explication: Proposal (typed)

                DW 8:  Poetry Explication: The Poem and its Contexts Assignment (typed)

DW 9:  Poetry Explication: Annotation Assignment (typed)

DW10. Poetry Explication: Writer’s Workshop—draft of essay

                DW11. X-TRA OPP: ASK ME ABOUT THIS EXTRA WRITING OPPORTUNITY!

 

Formal Essays

                Literary Analysis: The "Action Figure versus Heroic Actor" Essay                                                                            15%

Poetry Explication: _____________________________________                                                                               15%

 

Cultural Presentation with associated Handout: ___________________                                                                                     15%

                Facilitation (5%)

Handout (5%)

Annotated Resource List (5%)

 

Examination 1: The Middle Ages                                                                                                                                        10%

Examination 2: The Sixteenth & Seventeenth Centuries                                                                                                          15%

Examination 3: The Restoration & Eighteenth Century                                                                                                           15%

 

Daily Grade                                                                                                                                                                      5%

 

 

Description of Course Requirements: Bruce Hyland's research has shown that we tend to remember 10% of what we hear, 20% of what we read, 50% of what we hear and see, 70% of what we say, and 90% of what we both say and do (Woods, Donald R.  "Developing Student's Problem-Solving Skills."  Journal of College Science Teaching 13:2 (1989).  The requirements for this course have been designed with Hyland's research in mind.

 

I.        Daily Writing Assignments: In addition to formal essays, you will also be expected to hand in short writing assignments throughout the semester.  These assignments are aimed at helping you improve your writing ability.  In most cases, assignments will be related to formal papers and can be used in the construction of those papers.  Unless otherwise stipulated, short writing assignments must be typed and adhere to “project guidelines” for full credit.

 

II.     Writer’s Workshop: While part of the Daily Writing Assignments grade, the Writer’s Workshop will be graded differently.  There will be two Writer’s Workshops this semester, each one will be worth 10% of your Daily Writing Assignments grade.  If you must be absent during a workshop, please make special arrangements with me prior to the workshop in order to receive credit for this activity.  Because it is an in-class activity, students must be present to receive credit.  The Writer’s Workshop is a mandatory part of the class and will be graded according to the following rubric.

·         Those students who come to the Writer’s Workshop with a typed or computer generated draft and who work on their own essay and help others will receive 10 points for the activity.

·         Those who come with a handwritten draft, or something that is less than the required pages will receive 8 or 9 points, depending on how far along they are.

·         Those who come with a few notes will receive 7 points.

·         Those with no paper or those who decide not to show up will receive 0 points for the activity.

 

III.   Literary Analysis Essay: This is the first formal paper of the semester. It is due before midterm and will set the tone for literary analysis this semester. This assignment will introduce major tools of the trade and in conjunction with the Writers' Workshop series and associated Daily Writing Assignments will provide ample opportunity to practice your writerly skills and receive specific feedback about your work before handing it in for a grade. Length: 3-5 pages.

 

IV.   Poetry Explication: This project provides you with an opportunity to explore in greater detail one of the poems we have covered in class.  To explicate is to unfold or unravel and that is exactly what you will be doing in this course requirement—unfolding the poem in order to explain how important details and poetic devices relate to or convey meaning/theme.  You'll have lots of guidance on this project, but it will require you to don your sleuth's investigative hat in order to unravel the mysteries and bring to the surface the hidden delights of your chosen poem.  Length: 6-10 pages, total project.

 

V.      Cultural Presentation and associated handout: In addition to traditional writing assignments, you will also have the opportunity to facilitate the class with a partner and field questions from classmates on a topic of your choice related to some aspect of British culture.  Topics include but are not limited to daily life, costume, politics, witchcraft, medical science, the arts, architecture, art, philosophy, food, entertainment, and education.  I will provide you with an expanded list of suggested topics, but you may propose your own topic if you prefer.  As for the approach to your topic and style of your presentation, creativity is encouraged.  Your presentation may take the form of a skit, ballad, fashion show, song, power point, animation/clamation, interview, day in the life of, traditional lecture, or your own uniquely original approach.  Length of presentation is 10 minutes, maximum.  As you and your partner prepare to teach the class, you will want to take this opportunity to build your repertoire of academic and professional skills.  With that in mind, you will prepare for your classmates an informative handout as well as a selective, annotated resource list on materials relevant to your topic.  Prior to your presentation, I am available to meet with you to discuss your topic selection and to provide you with feedback on your handout and annotated resource list.  Please note that I have a folder of sample (successful) student handouts in my office that you may look through as you think about preparing your own handout.  Since you may be working with a partner for this project, you may divide the labor as you choose.

 

VI.   Exams: There will be three exams, which will evaluate your knowledge of texts and their cultural contexts.  Each exam will be organized into three parts: matching, identification/short answer, and short essay.

 

VII. Daily Grade: Your active participation in this class—through your thoughtful contributions to discussion, reading quizzes, small group work, Writer's Workshops, and your punctual attendance—is a crucial part of y(our) collective learning experience and forms the basis of your daily grade.

 

Grading Scale:                    A- - A   (3.7-4.0) = 90-100

B- - B+ (2.7-3.3) = 80-89                    (Please note that a grade range of 87-89 is a B+)

C- - C+ (1.7-2.3) = 70-79                    (Please note that a grade range of 70-73 is a C-)

D- - D+ (0.7-1.3) = 60-69                   

F (Below .7)        = 00-59

 

Course Policies—This Stuff will Save Your Life (or at least your grade):

 

Attendance: My attendance policy is simple: you have three absences, which you may take at any time; however, for each absence over the third one, your Daily Grade will be dropped one letter grade.  If you are tardy, please note that it is your responsibility to see that I have marked you present for that class period.  Do this immediately after the class period.  I will not make corrections to my roster after I leave the classroom. If tardiness becomes habitual, I reserve the right to refuse changing my roster.  Students who leave midway through a class will be marked absent for ½ of that class period.  Bear in mind that class attendance affects the quality of one’s work in a course and, ultimately, the quality of one’s college degree.  The English Department does not distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused” absences and, therefore, has established a maximum allowable number of absences: no more than six absences on TR schedule.  According to departmental policy, students exceeding this limitation will receive an F for the course (or a W, if within the University policy on dropping a course.

 

Project Guidelines: Unless otherwise noted, all assignments (homework papers and essays) for this class should be computer-printed, titled, paginated, and stapled/paper clipped.  The font should be Times New Roman 12-point; text should be double-spaced.  Final drafts should be proofread thoroughly.  Projects are due at the beginning of class on the designated date unless otherwise stipulated; printer problems and other technical difficulties are not acceptable excuses for failure to hand in a paper on time. To avoid such common problems, print out and proofread the final draft of your paper well before the time the paper is due. Absence on the day a paper is due is not an acceptable excuse; however, if you have a legitimate reason for being unable to turn in a paper on the due date, please raise your concerns in advance of that date.  Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and proper MLA documentation all count.  I will provide handouts on the specific requirements of each assignment during class.

 

Late Home Work: If you must be absent from class, please obtain class notes/assignments from another student (see "Assignment Buddy") before the next class.  Absence is not an excuse for late work.  Late homework is not accepted for a grade.  If you must be absent and want credit for your homework, be sure that I have the actual assignment in my hands before class begins.  I will accept homework directly from you or delivered by a friend as long as I have it in my hands before the class period begins.  In-class graded assignments, class facilitations, workshops, and group work cannot be made up.  If you are absent, you will receive a 0 for those assignments. 

 

Late Essays: Essays will be taken up at the beginning of the class period on which they are due.  Essays that come in after that time will be considered late and docked one letter grade per class period. 

 

Plagiarism: Plagiarism will not be tolerated and its consequences are serious.  Proven willful plagiarism will result in failure in the course and may include dismissal from the university.  The MLA Handbook defines plagiarism as repeating "as your own someone else's sentences, more or less verbatim. . . .  Other forms of plagiarism include repeating someone else's particularly apt phrase without appropriate acknowledgment, paraphrasing another person's argument as your own, and presenting another's line of thinking . . . as though it were your own."  We will discuss plagiarism during class.  If you have additional questions, please see me, refer to your Harbrace Handbook (597-600), The MLA Handbook, and/or consult with the WCC. If you use someone else’s ideas, be sure to cite your sources accurately and distinguish his or her thoughts from your own. If you use someone else’s words, be sure to place them in quotation marks and cite your sources. See the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers for guidance on citing sources and other technical matters. 

 

Student Conduct: Students must conduct themselves in a manner which is conducive to learning for themselves and for others in the class.  Disruptive behavior is not acceptable and may result in a student’s facing campus disciplinary action or in being temporarily or, in severe cases, permanently removed from class.  Text messaging, by the way, is not conducive to learning.  Please turn off cell phones before the class period begins.

 

Food: Please do not bring food into the classroom as it is distracting to others.  You may, however, bring a beverage.

 

Please Note: Please be aware that the texts from the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century may at times contain potentially offensive language, images, and ideas.   If, at any time, you become uncomfortable and feel you need to excuse yourself, you may do so. 

 

Office of Disability Services: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability, please see me at the beginning of the semester and contact the Office of Disability Services (Suite A, Lower Level, Culp Center) at 439.8346.  This will ensure that you are properly registered for services.

 

Writing Center: ETSU's Writing and Communication Center is available to assist students who would like additional help with their writing.  The tutors offer one-to-one consultations about written work at every stage of the writing process.  The WCC is located in 409 Warf-Pickle.  To schedule an appointment, call 439.8202.

 

Conferencing: Working directly with me—your teacher and writing mentor—is a crucial part of this course.  I will require one conference this semester; however, you are always welcome, and I encourage you to drop by to discuss your ideas, your reading, your writing, or even the day's weather.  My door is open.

 

 

Assignment Buddy

 

Assignment Buddy: _______________________________________________________________________

 

Email Address:________________________________________________ Phone Number:_______________