ENGL 241, American Literature to 1865

Section 3, Spring 2003 TR 8:30-9:45 48 Stansbury

Dr. Sweet

Office: 222 Stansbury Hours: TR 10:00-11:00 and by appointment

Phone: 293-3107 x417

Email: Timothy.Sweet@mail.wvu.edu

Overview

American literature from its beginnings to 1865 is a vast and diverse body of material. This course does not attempt a comprehensive survey but rather focuses on three topics of perennial importance, working more or less chronologically through each:

• First Nations--European colonizers' interactions with indigenous Americans;

• Nature--colonizers' interactions with the physical environment;

• Liberty and Authority--interactions within the social order(s) established by the

colonizers.

The goal for the course is for you to understand the historical development of these topics as manifested in the literature. You will demonstrate this understanding in quizzes and exams.

Text

Nina Baym, general editor, The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 6th edition,

Volumes A (to 1820) and B (1820-1865). These are in separate bindings but

are packaged together.

Grading

Daily Quizzes = 15% of final grade

Most days there will be a quiz on the assigned reading. These quizzes may not be

made up if you are absent. However, in computing your final grade I will drop

your three lowest scores.

First Exam = 25% of final grade

Second Exam = 25% of final grade

Third Exam = 35% of final grade

These in-class exams will consist of several short answer questions and two or

three essay questions. You will need to supply your own blue books. For each

exam you may use one standard (8 1/2 x 11) sheet of paper on which you have

copied key quotations from the assigned primary readings only. This sheet may

not have anything from the headnotes supplied by the anthology editors or any

other materials beyond the primary readings. You must turn in this sheet along

with your blue books. You may not refer to any other materials during the exams.

Schedule

1/14 T Course introduction

First Nations

1/16 R Stories of the Beginning, A.19-33

1/21 T Trickster Tales, A.120-56

1/23 R Harriot, A.80-86

Smith, General History, A. 103-14

Champlain, A.86-103

1/28 T Bradford, A.156-96

1/30 R Morton, A.196-204

Williams, Key, A.226-34

2/4 T Rowlandson, A.308-40

2/6 R Occom, A.645-52; Apess, B.1079-84

2/11 T Bryant, "Prairies," B.1071-72, 1075-78

Cherokee Memorials, B.1029-39

2/13 R First Exam

Nature

2/18 T Smith, Description of NE, A.114-17

Van der Donck, A.285-92

Byrd, History, A.447, 453-64

2/20 R Bradstreet, "Contemplations,"A.238, 253-59

Taylor, "Upon a Wasp," A.341, 359

Edwards, "Beauty." "Images," A.464-66, 509-14

2/25 T Paine, Age of Reason, A.704-05, 718-24

Jefferson, Notes on Va., A.725-26, 733-38

Freneau, "Religion of Nature," A.791-92, 805-06

2/27 R Emerson, Nature, B.1103-34

3/4 T Bryant, "Thanatopsis," B.1072-74

3/6 R Cooper, B.1013-29

Kirkland, B.1085-93

3/11 T Thoreau, "Walking" B.1788-92, 1993-2016

3/13 R Second Exam

3/18, 20 Spring Break

Liberty and Authority

3/25 T Winthrop, A.205-26

Bradstreet, poems A.239-51

3/27 R Crevecoeur, A.657-82

4/1 T Jefferson, Declaration, A.726-32

Federalist#1 and #10, A.738-47

4/3 R Irving, "Rip Van Winkle," B.978-92

Hawthorne, "My Kinsman,n "May-Pole," B.1247-63, 1273-80

4/8 T Murray, A.782-91

Sedgwick, "Cacoethes Scribendi," B.1039-50

Meville, "Tartarus of Maids" B.2287-92, 2362-71

4/10 R Reading day--class will not meet

4/15 T Douglass, Narrative, B.2029-97

4/17 R Douglass, MyBondage, B.2097-2108

4/22 T Douglass, cont'd.

4/24 R Stowe, B.1670-1746

4/29 T Melville, "Benito Cereno," B.2371 -2427

5/1 R Review

Third Exam: Wednesday, May 7, 3:00 to 5:00 in the regular classroom (48 Stansbury)