Effective Date of this Description/Syllabus: Spring 2019
Prepared by: Dr. Rhonda Wilcox
Office: Honors House 104
Phone: (678) 359-5296
email: rhonda_w@gordonstate.edu
Office hours: T 11:00-12:20, 2:00-3:15, 5:00-5:30;
W 11:00-12:20, 4:30-5:30; R 11:-12:20, 2:00-3:15
COURSE
DESCRIPTION/SYLLABUS
Course Designation: English 3220
Course Title: Renaissance British Literature
Class hours per week: 3
Credit hours: 3
Division offering course: Humanities
Prerequisite for the course: A grade of C or better in English
1102 and completion of a 2000-level English course
If
you need academic accommodations for a disability, you should contact the
Office of Counseling Services, in the Student Center (second floor). You may
call that office at 678-359-5585.
Course description for college
bulletin:
A survey and study of Renaissance
British Literature.
Teacher’s Course objectives:
For
students to gain a thorough knowledge and genuine enjoyment of a selection of
the period’s best works;
For
students to gain understanding the cultural milieux in which these works were
produced;
For
students to acquire a background for appreciating the values and concerns of
modern literature by studying the traditions that preceded it;
For
students to be confident that they can appreciate Renaissance literature
outside the classroom.
Course Content:
We
will cover the writings of Sir Thomas More, Elizabeth I, Edmund Spenser,
Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, John Donne, Ben Jonson, George
Herbert, Katherine Philips, Andrew Marvell, John Milton, and others. (See the
Tentative Schedule.) We will be reading world-famous creations; people have
enjoyed them for generations. However, if you do not budget enough time for
your reading, you may start to view them as a burden rather than a pleasure.
Instead, expect to take a good amount of time—then relax and enjoy yourself.
The best pleasures cannot be hurried.
Required
Texts:
The Norton
Anthology of English Literature, Volume B, The
Sixteenth Century and the Early Seventeenth Century, Tenth Edition, edited
by Stephen Greenblatt, et al. Norton, 2018. ISBN 978-0-393-60303-3
Grading: Standards: A=90-100, B=80-89,
C=70-79, D=60-69 (B+=88; B=85; B-=82, C+=78, etc.)
Class
participation/pop quizzes: 10%
Short
Papers: 20%
Term
Paper: 25%
Midterm
Exam: 20%
Final
Exam: 25%
Your
failure to do any assignment listed above (except a limited number of pop quizzes) will result in your
failing the course. If you believe you have a good reason for being excused
from a pop quiz or other in-class work, discuss it with me promptly; I will
decide on a case-by-case basis whether or not to keep the zero, excuse the
quiz, or give a make-up with or without grade penalty. If you know that you are
going to need to miss a class, call or email me beforehand if at all possible
in order to avoid grade penalty.
Each
student will write an Author Report, choosing
a different author (from a list) on whom to write a short (500-700 word)
biographical/historical/critical introduction (with bibliography) and read it
aloud to the class when we cover the author. Each student will also sign up for
a particular Shakespeare sonnet and write a short (700-1000 word) Sonnet Analysis of it and read the
sonnet aloud to the class. Each student will also, near the end of the
semester, write a short (400-500 words) persuasive Literary Choice Essay, making the case for choosing a particular
piece or section of literature as our reading for the last week; students will
read their essays aloud and the class will vote to choose the last week’s
reading assignment(s). These short essays averaged together constitute 20
percent of your grade. Your Term Paper
(3000-4000 words or more) will present your view on one or more of the
plays/poems/prose selections, using research to explore the topic but
expressing your own opinion. The subject must be approved. If you have a strong
opinion—either admiration or irritation based on the literary text, or a sense
that you have a point you need to make—then that is the subject you should
probably choose.
Your exams (midterm and final) will
include some “objective” questions (e.g. identifying quotations; matching
biographical/literary terms and historical context, etc.); they will also
include some essay/discussion questions that will require interpretive
responses. Each exam will cover approximately half the course work.
Attendance policy: Without class discussions and
lectures, you might as well read this literature on your own. You will find
that experiencing a group’s reaction to a piece of writing is something that
cannot be recreated through merely reading class notes. This is not just a
lecture class. Furthermore, you can contribute to the class: thoughtful
questions can be just as valuable as insightful comments (though they should be
the questions of a person who has read the material). Missing classes will
reduce your ability to contribute and will therefore lower your class participation grade. (Significant
tardiness will do the same.) Furthermore, specific in-class activities will be
used to help establish your participation grade, and in most cases these
activities must be carried out during a particular class period. People that
miss more than three weeks of classes normally cannot keep up and thus fail the
course as a result. If you must miss a class, let me know beforehand if you can
(or leave a phone or email message even during class if need be); ask me or a
classmate about assignments so you can prepare in case there is a pop quiz when
you return to class. My home landline phone number (which I maintain for my
students) is (404) 373-5328. Leave a voicemail giving your name and phone
number (either home or office, 678 359 5296) if you call me and I do not
answer. If you cannot contact me or a classmate, then read the next assignment on the syllabus.
Student Evaluation of Instruction: Near the end of this course, you
may be asked to evaluate the instruction of the course. Your honest responses
will help make this a better course. Also, please feel free to make suggestions
during the course. Remember, I want
to hear from you.
Plagiarism,
Cheating:
The
English faculty of Gordon College views any form of cheating as a serious
violation of commonly accepted standards of honesty. (I. e., don’t be a
dirtbag.) All student work must be solely that of the person submitting the
work (unless the teacher has approved a collaboration). Any giving or receiving
of unauthorized help from others or from notes or other materials during the
course of taking a quiz, test, or exam or in writing a paper will result in an
F on the work; any use of forbidden materials such as rough drafts during the
course of in-class writing will also result in an F for the assignment. Note
that an F on the work involved in cheating is the minimum punishment; a zero on
the work is another possible consequence; if justified by aggravating
circumstances, the matter may be referred to the Academic Dean or (according to
a rule approved by the Faculty Senate in Fall 2009) the Dean of Students. See
the Academic Dishonesty Policy in the Academic Catalog.
Moreover,
when source materials are used in the writing of papers, the student must
document such use of sources both by clearly indicating material being used as
quotation and by giving proper recognition when an idea or information has been
paraphrased or summarized; the following principles enunciated in the section
on avoiding plagiarism in James D. Lester's Writing
Research Papers: A Complete Guide, 8th edition, should be scrupulously
observed:
1. Acknowledge
borrowed material by introducing the quotation or paraphrase with the name of
the authority. This practice serves to indicate where borrowed materials begin.
2. Enclose
within quotation marks all quoted materials.
3. Make certain
that paraphrased material has been rewritten into your own style and language.
The simple rearrangement of sentence patterns is unacceptable. [To illustrate: It
is unacceptable to simply rearrange sentence patterns.]
4. Provide
specific in-text documentation for each borrowed item. For example, MLA [Modern
Language Association] style requires [scholar’s] name and page for all in-text
references. Requirements differ for other fields . . . .
5. Provide a
bibliographic entry on the Works Cited page for every source cited in the
paper.
6. Omit sources
consulted but not cited in [your paper]. This point is important.You do not
want your instructor leafing back through the paper trying to find your use of
a source that, in truth, was not cited. (140-41)
Note, by the way, that the indention of
the material above indicates that it is quoted.
Furthermore, you must avoid collusion.
Here is a definition from the Humanities Department Chair:
Collusion
is defined as receiving excessive help to the point that a work can no longer
be considered the product of a single author and therefore cannot be accurately
assessed an individual grade. If I suspect a submitted work to be the result of
collusion, I reserve the right to refuse credit for that work if the claimed
author is unable to demonstrate sole authorship. A good way to avoid this
problem is to get help from the Student Success Center rather than from family
or friends.
I may or may not decide to have you submit
some of your work to Turnitin.com. Terms and Conditions of Use may be found at http://www.turnitin.com/static/usage.html.
In general, if you have a question, feel
free to ask it. Also feel free to come by and talk to me about literature
during office hours. My goal is for you to learn and to enjoy learning.
ADA and 504
If
you have a documented disability as described by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, you may
be eligible to receive accommodations to assist in programmatic and/or physical
accessibility. The Counseling and Accessibility Services office located
in the Student Center, Room 212 can assist you in formulating a reasonable
accommodation plan and in providing support in developing appropriate accommodations
to ensure equal access to all GSC programs and facilities. Course
requirements will not be waived, but accommodations may assist you in meeting
the requirements. For documentation requirements and for additional
information, contact Counseling and Accessibility Services at
678-359-5585.
Title IX
Gordon
State College is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of
discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic
violence, dating violence and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has
experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know that you are not alone.
All faculty members at Gordon State College are mandated reporters. Any
student reporting any type of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence,
domestic violence or stalking must be made aware that any report made to a
faculty member under the provisions of Title IX will be reported to the Title
IX Coordinator or a Title IX Deputy Coordinator. If you wish to speak
with someone confidentially, you must contact the Counseling and Accessibility
Services office, Room 212, Student Life Center. The licensed counselors
in the Counseling Office are able to provide confidential support.
Gordon
State College does not discriminate against any student on the basis of
pregnancy, parenting or related conditions. Students seeking
accommodations on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related conditions
should contact Counseling and Accessibility Services regarding the process of
documenting pregnancy related issues and being approved for accommodations,
including pregnancy related absences as defined under Title IX.
Religious
Holidays: Gordon State College
acknowledges that the academic calendar can sometimes conflict with major
holidays from among our diverse religious traditions. If a student must miss class due to the
observance of a religious holiday, that absence may be excused. To be excused, the student must inform
his/her instructors before the absence and make alternate arrangements for any
work due at the time of the absence. An
excused absence for the observance of a religious holiday does not excuse a
student from responsibility for required course work. If you are going to be
absent for a religious holiday, tell me by the end of week 2.
P.S. re Harry’s House:
The mission of Harry’s House is to distribute food and
toiletries to students to alleviate stress associated with short term food
insecurity and other financial constraints in order to effectively reduce
hunger and support educational success.
https://www.gordonstate.edu/harrys-house/index.html
TENTATIVE
SCHEDULE
Read
the material before the class period in which it is listed below; it will be
discussed during the class period in which it is listed. If you miss class,
keep up with the reading listed below. Some listings are excerpts from a longer
work. When a specific selection is not listed, then read all the material in
the book under a given title or author.
Week
One (1/10) Introduction; note that Author
Reports are due at the beginning of the first period the author is covered
in class.
Week
Two (1/15) Sir Thomas More, Utopia,
pages 47-118 (including letter); (1/17) Book
of Common Prayer, pp. 162-64; Elizabeth I, “Verses Written with a Diamond,”
p. 222; further writings pp. 229-234; Mary Queen of Scots. “A Letter to
Elizabeth I,” p. 212-214
Week
Three (1/22) Edmund Spenser, The Faerie
Queen, Letter; Book I, Cantos 1-3, pp.
249-89; (1/24) Cantos 4-5, pp. 289-315
Week
Four (1/29) The Faerie Queen continued,
Cantos 6-10, pp. 315-82; (1/31) Cantos 11-12, pp. 382-406
Week
Five (2/5) Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil
and Stella 1,5,7,16,18,20,28,45,71,87, pp. 586+; Mary (Sidney) Herbert,
Countess of Pembroke, “Psalm 139,” pp. 606-608; (2/7) Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, Scenes 1-5, pp. 680-699
Week
Six (2/12) Doctor Faustus, continued,
Scenes 6-end, pp. 699-715; (2/14) Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act 1, pp. 741-56
Week
Seven (2/19) Twelfth Night, continued,
Act 2, pp. 756-770; (2/21) Act 3, pp. 771-787
Week
Eight (2/26) Twelfth Night, Act 4-5,
pp. 787-802 (2/28) Midterm Exam
Monday
March 4: Last day to drop classes without WF
Week
Nine (3/5) Shakespeare’s Sonnets; Sonnet
Analysis due; (3/7) John Donne, Songs
and Sonnets, pp. 923-42
Week Ten (3/11-15) SPRING BREAK
Week
Eleven (3/19) John Donne, continued, Holy
Sonnets and poems and Meditation 17, pp. 960-71; (3/21) Ben Jonson, poems,
pp. 1089-1109
Week
Twelve (3/26) Robert Burton, The Anatomy
of Melancholy, pp. 1240-1246; Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici, pp. 1247-1255; (3/28) Sir Francis Bacon, Essays and other prose, pp. 1213-1236
Week
Thirteen (4/2) George Herbert, The Temple,
pp. 1257-1276; (4/4) Robert Herrick, “Delight in Disorder,” “His Farewell to
Sack,” “Corinna’s Going A-Maying,” pp. 1308-1312; Richard Lovelace, “To
Lucasta, Going to the Wars,” p. 1329, “To Althea, from Prison,” pp. 1331-1332
Week
Fourteen (4/9)) Katherine Philips, “A Married State,” “Upon the Double Murder
of King Charles,” “Friendship’s Mystery, To My Dearest Lucasia,” “To Mrs. M.A., at Parting,” “On the Death of My First and
Dearest Child, Hector Philips,” pp.1334-39; Andrew Marvell, “To His Coy
Mistress,” pp. 1346-47; Term Paper due;
(4/11) John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book
I, pp. 1495-1514
Week
Fifteen (4/16) Paradise Lost, Book
II, pp. 1514-1537; (4/18) Book 3,
1537-1553; Milton’s Sonnets, pp. 1489-93; Aemilia Lanyer, “Eve’s Apology,” pp.
983-86
Week
Sixteen (4/23) Literary Choice Essays and
class vote for choice of literature to read; (4/25) Literature from our text
chosen by the class
Week
Seventeen (4/30) Literature from our text chosen by the class
FINAL
EXAM: TUESDAY MAY 7, 2:45-4:45 PM
Additional work may be
assigned. Any variation in syllabus policy is at the instructor’s discretion.