Required Texts:
The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 7th ed. Vol. 1
On reserve in the library:
Andreas Capellanus, The Art of Courtly Love
C. S. Lewis, The Discarded Image
Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Boethius: The Consolation of Philosophy

 Description: English 4620 is an introduction to the best works of Old, Middle and early Renaissance English Literature. We cover a variety of genres in order to appreciate the extraordinary diversity and richness of these periods. We consider medieval and early modern ideas about drama, the problem of predestination versus free will, the treatment of the hero and of good and evil, attitudes toward women, connections between the secular and the divine, and the treatment and reflection of the social conditions of the times. Throughout the semester, we'll be reading with a consciousness of the historical continuity of the period, its connection with the artistic works of the later Renaissance, and its difference and similarity to our own time.
You are the architects of this class. It is only worth as much as you put into it. I am a resource, not a supplier of produce. What you learn will depend on the work you do, and therefore your grade will reflect to a large extent how well you keep up with the reading (more so than perfect understanding) and the amount you participate (almost as much as how well you write).

Writing Requirements: A midterm (10%) a final exam (20%), a critical paper of about 10 pages on a topic suggested or approved by the instructor (25%), ashort essay of 2 pages (10%) and a journal (20%). You may, if you wish, hand in the long essay, at least a week before it is due, and receive written feedback--but no grade--on it.

Journal Assignment: (Easy A) You will submit journal entries on the reading at the beginning of each class for which the reading is due. These will be informal (handwritten on looseleaf), and on one side of a half sheet of looseleaf . Your grade for journaling begins as an A. You can only lower it by a) failing to hand entries in at the start of class on the day they are due or b) by inappropriate responses (summary rather than interpreting or critiquing; lacking enough specifics to show you read the work--I will give examples at the beginning of the course).

DISCUSSION REQUIREMENT (Another easy "A"!) Not only does your attendance contribute to the community we make in this class, your contribution to class discussion is crucial to helping others understand the texts in different ways and to clarifying your own position--ideas that will show up in your papers. I grade your participation according to the number of times you attend class during the semester, working on the basis that you can't participate if you don't attend. Here's how it will work:
0-5 absences = A; 6 absences = A-; 7 absences = B+;8 absences = B; 9 absences = B- etc
There are 45 class sessions this semester, and you have five "freebies" (11% of work). Your freebies are intended to cover such emergencies as the day you were sick, the day the baby sitter didn't make it, the day you couldn't find a parking space, the days you were deciding which class you really needed, or the day you were out of town playing the basketball finals. After your five freebies, every absence counts against your attendance/participation grade. You are strongly advised to hoard your freebies. Journals will work the same way. You can't hand in a journal entry after it is due, but 5 missing journal entries are free! If you know you will be absent, you may hand in the journal early.
 
 

SYLLABUS (Instructor's)

Readings are due on the day for which they are listed. You are expected to annotate and underline important passages in your book or on a photocopy (or use yellow post-its) and to produce at least half a looseleaf page of response each day of class.

Students with Disabilities: Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

Ethics: Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsification, accessing unauthorized course or test information, using unauthorized resources, or breaching copyright law. The penalty for such dishonesty will be an E in this course, and it may result in charges issued, hearings held, and/or sanctions imposed.

Week 1
Day 1. Intro to class. I explain their obtaining reading questions and lectures from the internet. I also explain that they will choose possible readings for the course. Go through the course description.

Day 2. The Old English Period and Language: Short Video. Playing with Anglo Saxon sounds and verse. Bede's Ecclesiastical History, including Caedmon's Hymn 23-25. The problem of Predestination vs. free will. Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, Book 5, Prose 3, Meter 3, Prose 4, Meter 4. "The Dream of the Rood," 26-28. Viking history and Christ as Anglo-Saxon warrior.

 Day 3. "The Wanderer" and "The Wife's Lament" 99-103; "The Battle of Maldon"103 107.

Week 2
Day 1. Holiday

 Day 2. Beowulf. Introduction 29-50.

Day 3. Beowulf. 50-73. .

Week 3
Day 1. Beowulf. 74-99.

Day 2. Marie de France: the Wolf and the Lamb 140; Lludd and Lleuelys, 150-52; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 156-174.

 Day 3. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 175-210.

Week 4
Day 1. Pronunciation of Middle English; The Miller's Prologue and Tale 235-252.

 Day 2. The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale 253-72. Long paper assigned.

Day 3. The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale 272-281.   The Art of Courtly Love* by Andreas Capellanus 28-33, 184-186.

Week 5
Day 1. The Pardener's Prologue and Tale. 281-96.

 Day 2. The Nun's Priest's Tale; 296-310

 Day 3. The Parson's Prologue and Chaucer's Retraction. 310-313.
 

Week 6
Day 1. Middle English Lyrics, 350-54; Julian of Norwich 355-66. Margery Kempe 366-79.

Day 2. Mallory's Morte Darthur 421-36.

Day 3. Morte Darthur 437-439

Week 7
Day 1. Play of Noah,. Pp. 380-91

 Day 2. Everyman 445-467. Prep for midterm

 Day 3. Midterm on early British literature in Testing Center

Week 8
Days 1 & 2. Introduction to the Renaissance; 469-499;

 Day 3. Castiglione's The Courtier, pp 577-593;

Week 9
Day 1. Wyatt 525-38; Surrey 569-77

 Day 2. Nashe 1200-1207. Raleigh 878-888; Marlowe's Passionate Shepherd 989. Drake's Circumnavigation of the globe 894-897.

 Day 3. More's Utopia and The History of Richard III. Pp503-525

Week 10
Day 1. Marlowe's Faustus 990-1006

Day 2. Faustus 1007-1023

 Day 3. Mandatory draft workshop for the long paper.

Week 11
Day 1. Long paper due. Tyndale, "the Obedience of the Christian Man 542-44; Calvin,
"the Institution of the Christian Religion" 544-47.

 Day 2. Sidney 933-55; "The Defense of Poesy,"

 Day 3. Queen Elizabeth 593-600;

Week 12
Day 1. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp622-669

 Day 2. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp670-724

 Day 3. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp724-769

Week 13
Day 1. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp770-809

 Day 2. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp810-855

 Day 3. Spencer's Faerie Queen pp856-63

Week 14
Day 1. Shakespeare's King Lear pp. 1106-1127

 Day 2.Shakespeare's King Lear pp. 1128-1149

Day 3. Shakespeare's King Lear pp. 1150-1171

Week 15
Day 1. Shakespeare's King Lear pp 1172-92

 Day 2. Shakespeare's sonnets: 1, 20, 126, 130, 135, 138; 144 pp. 1029-1041 Short paper due;

Day 3. Discussion about the final exam.

FINAL EXAM: Thurs, Dec. 14; 9:30-11:30