COURSE:               ENG 337W-01                                                                                                                       FALL 2002

TIME:                     MWF 11:00-11:50 AM                                                                                                         TISDALE

TEXTS:                  Anonymous, The Earliest English Poems, trans. Alexander (Penguin)

                                Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, trans. Green (Macmillan)

                                HELOISE AND ABELARD, The Letters of Heloise and Abelard, trans. Radice (Penguin)

ANONYMOUS, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, and Pearl, trans. Boroff (Norton)

                                MALORY, Le Morte D'Arthur, ed. Baines (Dutton)

                                the norton anthology of english literature, vol. I, 7th ed.

                                                Various Selections

 

LEARNING GOALS

 

1) Identify and understand varied characteristics of literature;

2) Apply techniques of literary analysis to texts;

3) Use literary study to develop skills in careful reading and clear writing;

4) Demonstrate understanding of the diverse social and historical contexts in which literary texts have been written and

 interpreted;

5) Develop a sense of the influence of great works of literature in one period;

6) Exercise the use of literary study as a means of growth and self-discovery;

7) Learn how to write essays about literature, comparing themes and motifs in several works.

8) Expose the student intensively to medieval culture and literature, mainly that of England, but also Europe in general;

9) Learn how to write an essay about medieval literature, as a primary paper, and then the incorporation of secondary

scholarship.

 

DATE                     ASSIGNMENT

 

August

 

  19                          Introduction:  Syllabus, Dates

 

Anglo-Saxon England:  Mead, Middle-Earth, and Monks

 

  21                          Slides of Anglo-Saxon Sites

 

23                                      The First English Poet:  Caedmon’s Hymn

Old English Poetry and How It Works

                               

  26                          The Heroic Ideal:  The Wanderer                                                     

                                               

  28                          Love Stories:  The Wife’s Complaint                               

 

  30                          Christ as Hlaford:  The Dream of the Rood and the Ruthwell Cross

 

September

 

   2                           LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

 

   4                           General Discussion and Catch-Up on Old English Verse

 

   6                           Old English Riddles

 

   9                           The Beowulf Manuscript (World Wide Web)

 

  11                          Beowulf and Old English Verse Form              

 

  13                          Darkness and Light:  Beowulf As A Young Hero

 

  16                          Not Right in His Heart:  Beowulf As An Old King

 

18                                      Review of Old English Literature

 

19                                      Essay on Old English Literature

 

The Love of Learning and the Desire for God

 

  23                          Introduction to Boethius

 

  25                          Boethius:  The Consolation of Philosophy, Bk. I

 

27                                      Boethius:  The Consolation of Philosophy, Bk. II

 

  30                          Boethius:  The Consolation of Philosophy, Bk. III

 

 October

 

Dream Vision and Allegory

 

   2                           The Structure of Pearl

 

   4                           Pearl, Stanzas 1-65

 

   7                           Pearl, Stanzas 66-101

 

   9                           Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pts. I-II

 

  11                          Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pts. III-IV

 

  14-15                     FALL BREAK                      

 

  16                          Patience

 

The Faces of Love

 

  18                          Who were Heloise and Abelard?

 

  21                          The Letters of Heloise and Abelard:  Introduction, pp. 9-55

                               

  23                          The Letters of Heloise and Abelard:  Historia Calamitatum, pp. 57-106

 

  25                          PAPER DUE (First Version––Primary Sources Only––See Note Below)

 

28                                      The Letters of Heloise and Abelard:  The Personal Letters, pp. 109-156

 

  30                          Middle English Lyrics

                               

November

 

   1                           Middle English Lyrics

 

   4                           RETURN PAPERS

 

   6                           Review of Medieval Love, Allegory, and Consolation Literature

 

8                                       Essay on Medieval Love, Allegory and Consolation Literature

 

Mysticisms and Miracles

 

  11                          The Book of Margery Kempe

 

  13                          The Wakefield Second Shepherd’s Play

 

15                                      The Wakefield Second Shepherd’s Play

 

The Romance:  Sword and Grail

 

  18                          Legendary Histories of Britain:  Geoffrey of Monmouth, Layoman, and the Myth of Arthur’s Return

                               

  20                          THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY            

 

  22                          THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

 

  25                          Malory:  The Tale of King Arthur, pp. 21-94

 

  27                          Malory:  The Tale of the Sangreal, pp. 359-431

 

  29                          Malory:  The Tale of the Sangreal, pp. 359-431

 

December

 

   2                           Malory:  The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere, pp. 432-471

 

   4                           Le Morte Darthur, pp. 472-507

                                                 

   6                           PAPER DUE (Second Version––See Note Below––At least four separate                                                                                footnoted sources required)

 

   9                           Review for Exam

 

  16                          Final Exam: 8:00-11:00 AM

 

NOTES: 1) All assignments of individual authors and works include introductions and biographical sketches.

2)Class participation:  The instructor assumes that your presence in class means that you have read the assignment.  He will call on you from time to time and expects you to contribute to discussion.  If it is clear that you are consistently not prepared then your final grade will be lowered.  There may be times when pressing duties or emergencies prevent you from completing the reading.  Please inform the instructor beforehand so that he will know not to call on you.  Always bring your text to class.

3)Attendance Policy:  Students are allowed five cuts for whatever reason.  After that a letter grade is dropped from the final average.  After ten cuts, then two grades are dropped, and so on.  Tardiness is counted as a cut.

4)Writing Intensive Course:  This means that special attention in this class is given to writing skills.  Consult the syllabus for how this works.  In addition, students may voluntarily seek out individual conferences with the instructor.  As the syllabus indicates, there will be five writing assignments:  Three in class essays (including the exam) and a term paper in two versions.  The first version is to be written in response to a thesis you develop out of the primary material.  The second version involves both a revision and the addition of secondary research from the library.  You are to integrate at least four different secondary sources into your paper.  These must be documented properly.

                                6)The instructor will give unannounced quizzes several times throughout the semester.  The cumulative average of these will count 10% of your final grade.  The other five assignments will count %90 each.

 

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