Revised 3-27-17
ENGL 440-01: English Fiction B.A. (Before Austen)
Professor E. Derek Taylor
Spring 2017
Office: Grainger 306
Office Hours: MWF 3:00-4:00; T 12:30-1:30 (and by appointment)
Phone: 434-395-2748
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.ederektaylor.weebly.com
ENGLISH 440 (Studies in Literary History). English Fiction B.A. (Before Austen): A study of eighteenth-century English works of prose fiction that scholars now consider early novels but which, at the time, were presented as anything but novels. After encountering works by Behn, Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Sterne, and Burney, students will better understand the boldness of Austen's gloriously sardonic vindication of the novel form in Northanger Abbey—and we will indeed end the semester by reading Austen’s novel. Prerequisite: completion of General Education Goal 3, and either completion of one 300-level literature course or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.
Course Texts:
Course Objectives. In this course, we will concentrate on two primary objectives:
Grading:
--Daily in-class writing (these will function as reading quizzes): 40%
--Annotated Bibliographies (2-13, 3-13, 4-24): 10%
--Researched Argument Essay (5-5): 30%
--Final Examination (5-8): 20%
--Participation: + or -
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers: Students are expected to attend classes regularly. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one letter grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Consistently tardy students will have their participation grades significantly lowered.
A late essay is its own punishment. Furthermore, if you turn in your essay late there is simply no telling when I will be able to get it back to you. Students may not make up missed quizzes for any reason.
Classroom Decorum: Students are expected to behave civilly both to each other and to the instructor, and to conduct themselves in a manner that encourages learning in the classroom. Email messages, voice mail, notes to the instructor, etc., will be considered as part of the participation grade, so students should think carefully about the tone and content of them.
Honor Code: All work is governed by the Longwood University Honor Code. Written work must contain the pledge in writing and be signed. Students should read closely the section on plagiarism in the Longwood Style Manual.
Class Schedule: (I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule by giving oral notification in class. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for subsequent classes.)
Week 1
W. 1-18. Introduction to course
F. 1-20. Aphra Behn, Oroonoko (“Chronology,” “A Note on the Text,” and 1-41)
Week 2
M. 1-23. Behn, Oroonoko (41-77)
W. 1-25. Daniel Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (“A Contextual Chronology” and 1-46)
F. 1-27. Daniel Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (47-93)
Week 3
M. 1-30. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (93-145)
W. 2-1. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (145-198)
F. 2-3. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (198-238)
Week 4
M. 2-6. Richardson, Pamela (“Chronology” and 1-71)
W. 2-8. Richardson, Pamela (71-145)
F. 2-10. Class Canceled (Conference at UGA)
Week 5
M. 2-13. Annotated Bibliography 1 Due. Richardson, Pamela (145-219)
W. 2-15. Richardson, Pamela (219-299)
F. 2-17. Richardson, Pamela (299-377)
Week 6
M. 2-20. Richardson, Pamela (377-452)
W. 2-22. Richardson, Pamela (452-503)
F. 2-24. Class Canceled (AACU Conference).
Week 7
M. 2-27. Fielding, Shamela (305-344)
W. 3-1. Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews (“A Chronology of Henry Fielding” and 15-68)
F. 3-3. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (68-121)
Week 8
Classes Canceled for Spring Break
Week 9
M. 3-13. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (121-175)
M. 3-15. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (175-238)
W. 3-17. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (238-303)
Week 10
M. 3-20. Frances Burney, Evelina (“Chronology” and all prefatory material pp. 1-11; 12-68)
W. 3-22. Burney, Evelina (68-133)
F. 3-24. Burney, Evelina (137-208)
Week 11
M. 3-27. Burney, Evelina (208-278)
W. 3-29. Burney, Evelina (278-340)
F. 3-31. Burney, Evelina (340-406)
Week 12
M. 4-3. Annotated Bibliography 2 Due. Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (1-46)
W. 4-5. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (47-96)
F. 4-7. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (97-136)
Week 13
M. 4-10. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (137-173)
W. 4-12. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (“Introduction” and 1-46)
F. 4-14. Austen, Northanger Abbey (46-87)
Week 14
M. 4-17. Austen, Northanger Abbey (88-124)
W. 4-19. Austen, Northanger Abbey (88-174)
F. 4-21. Class Colloquium: What have we learned?
Week 15
M. 4-24. Annotated Bibliography 3 Due. In-class screening of Northanger Abbey (2007)
W. 4-26. Class Canceled for Longwood University Research Day
F. 4-28. In-class screening of Northanger Abbey (2007)
Week 16
Research Essay Due on Friday, May 5, by noon. Bring a hard copy to me in my office.
Week 17
M. 5-8. Final Examination (11:30-2:00).
ENGL 440-01: English Fiction B.A. (Before Austen)
Professor E. Derek Taylor
Spring 2017
Office: Grainger 306
Office Hours: MWF 3:00-4:00; T 12:30-1:30 (and by appointment)
Phone: 434-395-2748
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.ederektaylor.weebly.com
ENGLISH 440 (Studies in Literary History). English Fiction B.A. (Before Austen): A study of eighteenth-century English works of prose fiction that scholars now consider early novels but which, at the time, were presented as anything but novels. After encountering works by Behn, Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Sterne, and Burney, students will better understand the boldness of Austen's gloriously sardonic vindication of the novel form in Northanger Abbey—and we will indeed end the semester by reading Austen’s novel. Prerequisite: completion of General Education Goal 3, and either completion of one 300-level literature course or permission of the instructor. 3 credits.
Course Texts:
- Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey (New York: Norton, 2004)
- Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko (New York: Penguin, 2003)
- Burney, Frances. Evelina (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002)
- Defoe, Daniel. A Journal of the Plague Year (New York: Penguin, 2003)
- Fielding, Henry. Joseph Andrews and Shamela (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1999)
- Richardson, Samuel. Pamela (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001)
- Sterne, Laurence. A Sentimental Journey (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2006).
Course Objectives. In this course, we will concentrate on two primary objectives:
- We will read a substantial number of pages in order to achieve a broad understanding of the development in England of what we now call the novel—a word eighteenth-century authors would not have used to describe their literary works. Simply reading the assigned pages, however, will not suffice; both you as students and I as instructor will have to do more than just trudge through texts. For my part, I will come prepared for each class with an assemblage of contextual information, ranging from contemporary philosophical, religious, economic, or political ideas, writings, or controversies, to more recent critical work by scholars of literature and of the history of ideas. Furthermore, I will bring a loose “plan” for each class meeting, based upon passages from the works in question that warrant attention and discussion. In order to maximize our class time, however, I will need your assistance.
- This leads us to the second goal, namely to hone your respective abilities to articulate orally and in writing interpretations of single works of literature and thematic connections between multiple ones.
- To this end, each class session will begin with an in-class writing assignment, based on a question I provide at the beginning of class. These will function both as reading quizzes and as potential lines of inquiry during class discussion.
- You will also be responsible for submitting three annotated bibliographies in which you demonstrate your careful reading of at least three scholarly essays or book chapters related to our course readings.
- At the end of the semester, you will write a research paper (12-15 pages in length) and take a final examination.
Grading:
--Daily in-class writing (these will function as reading quizzes): 40%
--Annotated Bibliographies (2-13, 3-13, 4-24): 10%
--Researched Argument Essay (5-5): 30%
--Final Examination (5-8): 20%
--Participation: + or -
Attendance, Tardiness, Late Papers: Students are expected to attend classes regularly. ONLY illness, official college business, and emergencies permit the make-up of work missed, and all such absences must be documented. Unexcused absences totaling 10% or more of class meetings will result in a one letter grade penalty; absences totaling 25% or more, excused or otherwise, will result in an F for the course.
Consistently tardy students will have their participation grades significantly lowered.
A late essay is its own punishment. Furthermore, if you turn in your essay late there is simply no telling when I will be able to get it back to you. Students may not make up missed quizzes for any reason.
Classroom Decorum: Students are expected to behave civilly both to each other and to the instructor, and to conduct themselves in a manner that encourages learning in the classroom. Email messages, voice mail, notes to the instructor, etc., will be considered as part of the participation grade, so students should think carefully about the tone and content of them.
Honor Code: All work is governed by the Longwood University Honor Code. Written work must contain the pledge in writing and be signed. Students should read closely the section on plagiarism in the Longwood Style Manual.
Class Schedule: (I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule by giving oral notification in class. Absence from one class is never an excuse for being unprepared for subsequent classes.)
Week 1
W. 1-18. Introduction to course
F. 1-20. Aphra Behn, Oroonoko (“Chronology,” “A Note on the Text,” and 1-41)
Week 2
M. 1-23. Behn, Oroonoko (41-77)
W. 1-25. Daniel Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (“A Contextual Chronology” and 1-46)
F. 1-27. Daniel Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (47-93)
Week 3
M. 1-30. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (93-145)
W. 2-1. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (145-198)
F. 2-3. Defoe, Journal of the Plague Year (198-238)
Week 4
M. 2-6. Richardson, Pamela (“Chronology” and 1-71)
W. 2-8. Richardson, Pamela (71-145)
F. 2-10. Class Canceled (Conference at UGA)
Week 5
M. 2-13. Annotated Bibliography 1 Due. Richardson, Pamela (145-219)
W. 2-15. Richardson, Pamela (219-299)
F. 2-17. Richardson, Pamela (299-377)
Week 6
M. 2-20. Richardson, Pamela (377-452)
W. 2-22. Richardson, Pamela (452-503)
F. 2-24. Class Canceled (AACU Conference).
Week 7
M. 2-27. Fielding, Shamela (305-344)
W. 3-1. Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews (“A Chronology of Henry Fielding” and 15-68)
F. 3-3. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (68-121)
Week 8
Classes Canceled for Spring Break
Week 9
M. 3-13. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (121-175)
M. 3-15. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (175-238)
W. 3-17. Fielding, Joseph Andrews (238-303)
Week 10
M. 3-20. Frances Burney, Evelina (“Chronology” and all prefatory material pp. 1-11; 12-68)
W. 3-22. Burney, Evelina (68-133)
F. 3-24. Burney, Evelina (137-208)
Week 11
M. 3-27. Burney, Evelina (208-278)
W. 3-29. Burney, Evelina (278-340)
F. 3-31. Burney, Evelina (340-406)
Week 12
M. 4-3. Annotated Bibliography 2 Due. Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (1-46)
W. 4-5. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (47-96)
F. 4-7. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (97-136)
Week 13
M. 4-10. Sterne, A Sentimental Journey (137-173)
W. 4-12. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (“Introduction” and 1-46)
F. 4-14. Austen, Northanger Abbey (46-87)
Week 14
M. 4-17. Austen, Northanger Abbey (88-124)
W. 4-19. Austen, Northanger Abbey (88-174)
F. 4-21. Class Colloquium: What have we learned?
Week 15
M. 4-24. Annotated Bibliography 3 Due. In-class screening of Northanger Abbey (2007)
W. 4-26. Class Canceled for Longwood University Research Day
F. 4-28. In-class screening of Northanger Abbey (2007)
Week 16
Research Essay Due on Friday, May 5, by noon. Bring a hard copy to me in my office.
Week 17
M. 5-8. Final Examination (11:30-2:00).