This course covers nearly a thousand years of what could easily be the most rich and diverse literature in the English language: from medieval fairy tales and Chaucer’s travelers’ stories to Elizabethan drama, Shakespeare’s sonnets, biblical allegory and erotic love poetry. This course is designed to introduce students to this literature, but also to further familiarize them to the skills of literary analysis, critical writing, and research. Students should also expect to learn about the history of this period and the impact of these events on the literature we read.
To gain a better knowledge of the foundations of English literature and history through various kinds of written, oral, and research‐based assignments.
Through your reading and study of the literary tradition, you will develop your critical thinking, writing, and reading skills.
To build a community of literature scholars that enhances our understanding of our work.
To provide you with foundational cultural knowledge of some of the most important texts in English literature.
This is an intensive, four hour course, and I recommend that you view it as a high priority on your schedule this semester. If you think that this is a higher level of commitment than you were planning for this class, I strongly recommend that you consider taking this course in a different term.
The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th Edition (Make sure you have this, and not an earlier edition)
Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus (Folger)
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Edition (Again, it is important that you have this, and not an earlier edition).
***Additional readings, noted on the schedule, will be made available on PBWorks. Please print these out and bring them to class***