English 2172-British Lit to 1600 Dr. Cynthia Bowers

T/Th 3:30-4:45 p.m. Phone:770- 423-6133

Office Hours:MW 5-6 p.m., TR 1:30-2 p.m and apt. Office: HU259

website: http://ksumail.kennesaw.edu/~cbowers/ E-mail: cbowers@kennesaw.edu

English 2172 is a survey of British Literature from the beginnings to 1660.

The course will employ lecture, class discussion, video/dvd, and Powerpoint.

In this course, students will:

• •identify and define the elements of British Literature before 1660
• •identify the historical trends of British Literature before 1660
• •define the major trends of British Literature before 1660
• •demonstrate competence in multiple forms of oral and written expression, including understanding the writing and revision process; compiling research from primary and secondary sources; create effective presentations; compose and develop writing for a variety of audiences; and, demonstrate proficiency in the use of standard formal academic English
• •know and apply critical theory and research, including: interpreting texts from various disciplinary and critical perspectives; conducting library-based and internet-based research; developing an interpretation based on close reading supported by textual evidence; demonstrate proficiency in using appropriate documentation styles (primarily MLA)
• •understand the development of language in English literature before 1660 in terms of cultural, economic, social and historical influences
• •recognize and appreciate the rhetorical and aesthetic value of language; explain and justify the aesthetic value of language
• •understand, analyze, and appreciate the impact of cultural power and status indicators on texts by being able to point out, explain, and question the impact of race, ethnicity, gender, and textuality on texts

Required Texts

Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume A

Handouts TBD

Students should also have a copy of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Reserach Papers

and a glossary or handbook of literary terms (e.g. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms)

1. Because I often communicate to students via email, I ask that you provide me with your email address by the beginning of next week (9/2). I will often send notes and discussion ideas to all students via email. Please feel free to contact me by email with any questions or concerns you may have as the semester progresses.

2. Students will be quizzed on the readings; this will usually mean promptly at 3:30 p.m. Latecomers will not be given extra time to complete quizzes. Quizzes may not be made up in case of absence unless previously arranged.

3. Attendance is required. Three or more absences will reduce your final grade by 5 points. Each subsequent absence will cost an additional grade point each.

4. Tardiness is strongly discouraged. It disrupts the class and is rude to classmates and instructor. Please make every effort to arrive for class on time.

5. Students will be required to write two short research papers of 4-5 pages in length. Paper topic ideas and areas for research will be discussed later in the semester.

6. There will be a Mid-Term Examination and a Take-home Final. The Mid-Term will take the form of objective questions which will be closed-book/notes and a short essay which will be open-book/notes. Students are responsible for all readings. Due date for Final will be announced later.

7. Please note: I will not accept late written work except in cases of extreme (and documentable) emergencies.

8. All written work must meet accepted standards for academic writing (1" margins; 10-12 pitch fonts). Outside sources must be documented in MLA format. Plagiarism--the use of the words OR IDEAS of another without proper credit--is a form of cheating and will result in failing this course. If you ever have any doubts or questions about proper citation, please see me immediately.

KSU Academic Integrity Statement:

Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University's policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an "informal" resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct's minimum one semester suspension requirement.

• Please turn off all cell phones and beepers during class. Please do not leave class to make a phone call. Please do not use your cell phone for text messaging during class.

Course Evaluation

The final grade will be calculated as followed:

Quizzes 20 points

Papers (2@20) 40 points

Mid-term 20 points

Final Exam 20 points

Please note that each of your assignments is given a point value not a percentage. Your final point total will translate to the following letter grades:

A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 79-70 D = 69-61

F = Below 60

Finally, a syllabus is by its nature rigid and legalistic. If you are having any problems either with the content of the course or with tackling your reading or written assignments, please contact me immediately.

English 2162-British Lit to 1660

Tentative Schedule

Please note: the last day to withdraw without academic penalty is 10/18.

Also note: Readings are due on the day they are listed. For example, you have read pages 3-16 of Intro and Beowulf to p. 73 BY 8/25 and be prepared for the quiz on that material. Finally, only initial page numbers for readings are given. It is assumed you will read the entire selection unless otherwise noted.

8/23 Course Introduction

8/25 READ: Intro 3-16; Beowulf to p. 73 (Parts 1 and 2)

QUIZ

8/31 READ: Beowulf to end

QUIZ

9/2 READ: Judith p. 101; Dream of the Rood p. 106; Anglo-Saxon Chron p. 124.

QUIZ

9/7 READ: Aeneid handouts; Intro 16-end;

QUIZ

9/9 READ: Perspectives p. 136-153; Marie de France p. 153

QUIZ

9/14 READ: "Sir Gawain" p. 169.

QUIZ

9/16 READ: Malory p. 225

QUIZ

9/21 READ: Chaucer-General Prologue and Miller's Tale

QUIZ

9/23 READ: Chaucer-Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale

QUIZ

9/28 READ: Chaucer-Pardoner's Prologue and Tale

QUIZ

9/30 READ: Chaucer-Nun's Priest's Tale

QUIZ

10/5 LISTEN: Ceremony of the Carols

10/7 Midterm Exam

10/12 The Early Modern Period

READ: Intro 390-411; Ascham p. 649; Vives p. 634; Mulcaster p. 651.

QUIZ

Paper #1 Due

10/14 READ: Skelton 413-419; Wyatt 419-422; Spenser Amoretti 579-580; Sidney Astrophil and Stella 592-594; Shakespeare sonnets 736-741

QUIZ

10/19 READ: Spenser Faerie Queene Book 1

QUIZ

10/21 READ: Spenser FQ Book 2 Canto 12 p. 568

10/26 Renaissance Drama

READ: Marlowe Faustus Acts 1-3

QUIZ

10/28 READ: Marlowe Faustus to end

QUIZ

11/2 Renaissance Women Writers

READ: Queen Elizabeth all poetry and Tilbury and Golden Speeches; Lanyer; handouts on Mary Stewart

QUIZ

11/4 READ: Wroth, all poetry; Tracts p. 824 -843

QUIZ

11/9 Later Lyric

READ: Donne all poems

QUIZ

11/11 READ: Marvell all poems, Jonson all poems

QUIZ

11/16 The English Civil War and its Contexts

READ: Herrick all poems; Herbert all poems, Philips all poems

QUIZ

11/18 Continue

Paper #2 Due

11/23 Civil War

READ: Perspectives p. 869-893

QUIZ

11/25 Thanksgiving!

11/30 Milton

READ: All poems 894-910 and Areopagitica p. 911

QUIZ

12/2 READ: PL Book 1 to Book 9

QUIZ

12/7 READ: Milton, PL, Books 10 - 12

QUIZ

12/9 Review

Final: Due date TBA