KnowledgeBase:Syllabus Archive
English 261 British Literature to 1800 Marilyn Francus Fall, 2001 TR Home
Professor Francus
English 261 (formerly English 21)
British Literature to 1800, Fall 2001

Office: 443 Stansbury Hall
Office Phone: 304-293-3107 X442
E-Mail: yfrancus@bellatlantic.net or francus@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays, 12:30- 2:30 and by appointment

August 21 (Tues) Introduction
August 23 (Thurs) Beowulf (pp. 27-94)

August 28 (Tues) Beowulf; Judith (pp. 114-119)
August 30 (Thurs) Chaucer, General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales (pp. 293-313)

September 4 (Tues) Chaucer, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale (pp. 329-356)
September 6 (Thurs) Chaucer, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale

September 11 (Tues) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (pp. 185-241)
September 13 (Thurs) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
First Essay Due

September 18 (Tues) Langland’s Piers Plowman (pp. 394-424)
September 20 (Thurs) Kempe, excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe (pp. 500-520)

September 25 (Tues) Mandeville, excerpts from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (pp.
492-500), Raleigh’s The Discovery… of Guiana (pp. 1055-66)
and Voyage Literature in Context (pp. 1066-1078)

September 27(Thurs) Class Cancelled

October 2 (Tues) More, Utopia (pp. 636-706)
October 4 (Thurs) More, Utopia

October 9 (Tues) Renaissance Poetry, including sonnets by Sidney, Spenser, and
Shakespeare

October 11 (Thurs) Renaissance Poetry, including poems by Elizabeth I, Raleigh, and
Marlowe
Second Essay Due

October 16 (Tues) Marlowe, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus (pp. 1117-1165)
October 18 (Thurs) Marlowe, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus

October 23 (Tues) 17th-century Poetry by Jonson, Donne, and Herbert
October 25 (Thurs) 17th-century Poetry by Lovelace, Marvell, and Phillips

October 30 (Tues) Milton, excerpts from Paradise Lost Books I and 2 (pp. 1755-1799)
November 1 (Thurs) Milton, excerpts from Paradise Lost Books 3 and 4 (pp.1799-1831)

November 6 (Tues) Milton, excerpts from Paradise Lost Book 9 (pp.1854-1878)
November 8 (Thurs) Pepys, excerpts from The Diary (pp. 2003-2029)

November 13 (Tues) Behn, Oroonoko (pp. 2150-2193)
November 15 (Thurs) Behn, Oroonoko
Third Essay Due

November 20-22 Thanksgiving Break

November 27 (Tues) Etherege, Man of Mode (pp. 2204-2270)
November 29 (Thurs) Rochester, poems (pp. 2193-2203); Behn, "The Disappointment" (pp.
2130-2133)

December 4 (Tues) Dryden, "Macflecknoe" (pp. 2103-2108); Pope, "The Epistle to
Arbuthnot" (pp. 2535-2545)
December 6 (Thurs) Addison, Spectator #69 (pp. 2334-2337); Swift, "A Modest Proposal"
(pp. 2451-2457); Johnson, Idler #31 and 32 (pp. 2724-2727)
Fourth Essay Due

Textbook: The Longman Anthology of British Literature is available at the WVU
Bookstore.

Course Objectives:
- To introduce students to the genres and modes of early and early modern British literature
- To study early and early modern British literature in the context of its history and culture
- To introduce a series of critical methodologies to guide students through these literary
and cultural texts
- To provide practice in critical thinking and writing about literature

Course Requirements: Four short (3 page) essays, and quizzes.


Grade Scale:
90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
<59 = F

Grading

1. Each of the four writing assignments counts for 20% of your final grade, and the quizzes for 20% of your grade. Class participation will be taken into consideration for students with borderline grades.

2. You have the option to rewrite your papers (except your final writing assignment). If you choose this option, come and see me about strategies for the rewrite. If your grade on the rewrite is higher than your original grade, you will receive the rewrite grade. If your grade on the rewrite is lower than your original grade, you will keep your original grade.

Submission of Assignments

1. All papers are to be typed, with sufficient space in the margins for comments. Papers should be double spaced.

2. Your papers should reflect careful reading and thinking about your subject. Do not summarize the plot of a work or rephrase your class notes in your papers.

3. It is highly recommended that you keep a photocopy or a back-up disk of every assignment that you hand in.

4. Hand in papers on time. Late submissions will receive a lower grade unless the student has a viable reason (such as illness, familial emergency) for his/her lateness. Your grade will be lowered a fraction for every day your work is late (ex. B to B- for one day late).


Plagiarism

As noted in the Undergraduate Catalog, "West Virginia University expects that every member of its academic community shares the historic and traditional commitment to honesty, integrity, and the search for truth" (p. 52). As a professional academic and as a member of this University I concur with this statement, and accordingly, plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course. Please note the University definition of plagiarism, as explained in the Undergraduate Catalog: "To take or pass off as one’s own the ideas, writings, artistic products, etc. of someone else; for example, submitting, without appropriate acknowledgment, a report, notebook, speech, outline theme, thesis, dissertation, or other written, visual, or oral material that has been knowingly obtained or copied in whole or in part, from the work of others, whether such source is published, including (but not limited to) another individual’s academic composition, compilation, or other product, or commercially prepared paper" (p. 52). If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, collaborative projects, documentation of your sources, or related issues, please feel free to ask.

Attendance

1. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class. You are granted a maximum of three absences during the course of the semester. If this limit is exceeded without an acceptable excuse (such as illness, familial emergency), your grade will be lowered accordingly (one letter grade for each additional three unexcused absences) and/or the student will be asked to leave the course.

2. Come to class on time.

Social Justice Policy

West Virginia University is committed to social justice. I concur with that commitment and expect to foster a nurturing environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination. Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national origin. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.

If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700).

 

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