SPRING 1998
ENG340: ENGLISH LITERATURE I, MEDIEVAL AND EARLY RENAISSANCE
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course offers a historical survey of English literature from its
beginnings in the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) period through the early Renaissance
(c. 1600). Texts and authors studied include Beowulf, Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Sidney, Spencer,
and Marlowe. The course emphasizes student participation, personal projects
and individual and group presentations.
TEXTS
The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition,
Vol. 1, ed. M. H. Abrams, W. W. Norton & Co.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1) Term Project & Individual Project Presentation (30%)
All students will be required to undertake and complete a project which
may be an original analytical paper or a creative work such as a short story,
play, epic, romance, or set of lyric poems (5-10 written pages or equivalent).
Also acceptable are substantial and original art works (painting, drawing,
music, film, web sites, etc.). All creative options must be clearly related
to and/or inspired by the class materials. All works must be original and
created during and for the specific purposes of this course. Students will
be asked to make a 10-15 minute presentation in class describing and/or
performing their project. Projects are due on the day when the student is
scheduled to make her/his individual presentation (see Schedule below for
details). Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the instructor
(well in advance of the deadline) regarding the acceptability and progress
of projects. Students choosing to write a paper must follow the guidelines provided by the instructor.
2) Group Presentations (30%)
Students in the course will be divided into several small groups which
will take turns throughout the semester making presentations about the texts
and authors studied (see Schedule below in this syllabus for specific assignments).
Presenters will be responsible for researching relevant facts, background
and context and presenting their findings to the class. Presentations should
also offer analysis and interpretation of the texts. The different tasks
and aspects of the presentation may be divided among the presenters in any
fashion conducive to a well-organized, coherent and thorough overall presentation.
All information presented must be relevant to the understanding of the course
topics. Highly encouraged is the use of audiovisual materials (pictures,
slides, videotapes, audio recordings, computer presentations, web pages,
etc) as well as creative work by the presenters such as skits, readings,
performances, art work, etc. In general, students should strive to deliver
clear, well-developed, lively, creative and interesting presentations. Each
student in a group should plan to speak for a minimum of 5-10 minutes.
Additional time may be used in other activities. A group presentation may
take up to an entire class period. Additional contributions in subsequent
class periods are also acceptable time permitting.
3) Reading (20%) and Class Participation (20%)
All students are required to do the assigned reading, prepare for and
attend class regularly and actively and constructively participate in class
discussions and other activities.
4) Attendance Policy
An attendance measurement will be calculated equal to the percentage
of total class time (29 classes) attended. The course grade may not exceed
that percentage (i.e. if the student attended only 75% of the class time,
the course grade may not be higher than 75 or C). Notice also that, at the
discretion of the instructor, any student missing more than 30% of the total
class time may fail the course.
Grading
Students in the course will evaluate and grade their own performance
in the above described categories according to the procedures described
by the instructor (see Self-Evaluation Sheets and Grading
Criteria). Midterm Self-Evaluations are due on Thursday March 5. Final
Course Evaluation are due on Tuesday May 5 by 12:30 PM in the Instructor's
Office or Mailbox. The instructor will grade the performance of any student
not submitting a self-evaluation. The instructor has the right to and will
change any student-generated grades which in his judgment are not compatible
with the quality of the student's work. Students are strongly encouraged
to consult with the instructor whenever in need of feedback or assistance
in the conducting of self-grading exercises. As stated in the Self-Evaluation
Sheets and the Grading Criteria, students must be honest, objective, responsible
and demonstrate self-knowledge in the determination of their grades. The
class average should fall within the C-B range or 70-86 points in a 100-point
scale where A= 90-100, B+ = 87-89, B = 80-86, C+ = 77-79, C = 70-76, D =
60-69, F = 0-59.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Thu Jan 15
Introduction (no reading required)
Tue Jan 20
Old English Literature : GROUP #1 PRESENTATION
Read: The Middle Ages (pp. 1-15), Old English Literature: Bede and Caedmon's Hymn, The Dream of the Rood (pp. 16-21), The Wanderer (68-70), The Battle of Maldon (70-75)
Thu Jan 22
Tue Jan 27
Beowulf : GROUP #2 PRESENTATION
Read: Beowulf (pp. 21-68)
Thu Jan 29
Beowulf
Tue Feb 03
Geoffrey Chaucer : GROUP #3 PRESENTATION
Read: Middle English Literature: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (Prologue, Miller's and Wife of Bath's Tales (pp. 76-144)
Thu Feb 05
Geoffrey Chaucer
Tue Feb 10
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight : GROUP #4 PRESENTATION
Read: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (pp. 200-254)
Thu Feb 12
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Tue Feb 17
William Langland : GROUP #5 PRESENTATION
Read: Piers Plowman (pp. 254-286)
Thu Feb 19
William Langland
Tue Feb 24
Mystery Plays : GROUP #6 PRESENTATION
Read: Noah's Flood, The Second Shepherds' Play (pp. 308-344)
Thu Feb 26
Mystery Plays
Tue Mar 03
The Mystics : GROUP #7 PRESENTATION
Read: Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe (pp. 298-308)
Thu Mar 05
The Mystics
Midterm Self Evaluations Due
Tue Mar 10
SPRING BREAK
Thu Mar 12
SPRING BREAK
Tue Mar 17
Middle English Lyric Poetry : GROUP #1 PRESENTATION
Read: Middle English Lyrics (pp. 286-291)
Thu Mar 19
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 7 Members: Ryan Syrek, John Funchion, John Nguyen, Chris Gantz, Matt MacVey)
Tue Mar 24
Sir Thomas Malory : GROUP #2 PRESENTATION
Read: Sir Thomas Malory, Morte Darthur (pp. 344-363)
Thu Mar 26
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 6 Members: Rebekah Jerde, Lissa Dolfay, Brenna Walsh, Chris Clark)
Tue Mar 31
Morality Plays : GROUP #3 PRESENTATION
Read: Everyman (pp. 363-384)
Thu Apr 02
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 5 Members: Jason Ourada, Taryn Haslam, Maureen Kelley, David Garcia-Prats)
Tue Apr 07
Skelton, Wyatt, Surrey : GROUP #4 PRESENTATION
Read: The Sixteenth Century (pp. 395-413), John Skelton, Thomas Wyatt, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (pp. 434-457)
Thu Apr 09
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 4 Members: Kelly Broman, Carlos Gonzalez, Lisa Siesennop, Jeff Deist)
Tue Apr 14
Sir Philip Sidney : GROUP #5 PRESENTATION
Read: Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil and Stella, Arcadia (pp. 458-479)
Thu Apr 16
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 3 Members: Nicole Cannon, Anne Bishop, Nikki Hutchinson, Charissa King)
Tue Apr 21
Edmund Spencer : GROUP #6 PRESENTATION
Read: Edmund Spencer (pp. 501-503), Faerie Queene I: 1-5 (514-573)
Thu Apr 23
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 2 Members: Chris Elston, Jason Ruiz, Dan Huss, Steve Olafson)
Tue Apr 28
Christopher Marlowe : GROUP #7 PRESENTATION
Read: Christopher Marlowe (pp. 748-749), Dr. Faustus (pp.768-801)
Thu Apr 30
Student Term Project Individual Presentations (Group 1 Members: Kendell Kennedy, Kate Sundermeier, Sheryl Reagor)
Course Evaluations (bring a #2 pencil)
Tue May 05
Final Course Self-Evaluations Due in Instructor's Office or Mailbox by 12:30 PM