English 210: British Literature to 1789
Fall 2007, 3:30-4:30 Tuesday/Thursday
Instructor: Regina (Gina) Buccola
Office: 600M (Schaumburg) 847-619-8561
AUD766 (Downtown) 312-341-2400
Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday (Schaumburg), 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday (downtown), 3:30-4:30 p.m.
E-mail: rbuccola@roosevelt.edu
Web Site: http://roosevelt.faculty.edu/Buccola/
Required Text: The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Vols. 1a-1c. 3rd ed. David Damrosch, ed. New York: Longman, 2006.
I also recommend that you read with access to a good dictionary, such as Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (or the OED, which you can access via Roosevelt's web site). Cultivate the habit of reading actively: take notes and ask questions as you go, and look up any words with which you are unfamiliar. You might also want to access supporting materials on line, such as < http://www.ablongman.com/damroschbritlit3e> or <http://www.wwnorton.com/nael/>.
Course Summary:
Covering 1000 years of literature produced in Great Britain, this is a whirlwind tour of British literary history. The emergence of new texts and new ways of reading the old ones has produced more and more material to visit on this entirely too quick trip. However, it has also deepened our understanding of our literary heritage in the English language (and its near neighbors).
The chief goals of the course are: to familiarize you with the writings of several major English authors of the Middle Ages and Renaissance; to acquaint you with the development of dominant literary forms such as lyric and narrative poetry, drama, prose fiction, and satire; to trace some recurring themes and issues in works written over the course of several centuries; to observe various attitudes toward gender roles and relationships; to improve your ability to read literary texts closely and with understanding; to develop your skill at writing about literature clearly and perceptively; and to increase your awareness of the intimate connection between literature and the culture in which it is produced. In addition to regular reading assignments, you will also be asked to write two exams, two short papers and a series of responses to your reading.
We will focus on complete texts
to the extent that we can, including the work of Sir Philip Sidney, Christopher
Marlowe, John Milton, Alexander Pope and John Gay. We will focus on broad
patterns of development, such as the changing conceptions of what literature is,
what an author is and does, what purpose literature plays in society, and who
reads or hears it.
Course Requirements
Course Policies
Downtown Assignment Schedule
Schaumburg Assignment Schedule