From Chaucer to Shakespeare (LSHV ) Professor Ann R. Meyer Tuesdays, 6:30 9:30 Provisional Syllabus, Spring 2014

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1 From Chaucer to Shakespeare (LSHV ) Professor Ann R. Meyer Tuesdays, 6:30 9:30 Provisional Syllabus, Spring 2014 Course Description This course introduces students to landmarks of late Medieval and Renaissance English literature. Our selection of major authors includes Geoffrey Chaucer, the Gawain Poet, William Langland, Julian of Norwich, John Donne, Aemilia Lanyer, and William Shakespeare. Our study will proceed chronologically, from the 14 th through the 17 th century. Works we shall examine represent remarkable creative achievements in the history of literature and reflect three centuries of historical transformations in art, language, religion, and politics. This course provides an opportunity to trace these developments through literary expressions in a variety of genres, including epic and romance, lyric poetry, visionary writings, critical essay, and drama. While we shall note key changes that conventionally call attention to differences between Medieval and Renaissance traditions (such as the rise of the printing press and the Protestant Reformation); we shall also highlight continuities and nuanced relations derived from roots in a Christian culture that preserved, transmitted, and transformed Classical traditions, and established foundations for the global contexts of the modern world. Course Goals and Outcomes 1. To recognize the formal features of a wide range of literary genres written in English during the Medieval and Renaissance periods 2. To deepen understanding of relations between the artistic process, literary patronage, and literary interpretation 3. To define and critique traditional terms of periodization relevant to this course, such as medieval, renaissance, humanism, and early modern 4. To understand the prominence of the English language as a means of ambitious literary accomplishments 5. To gain an appreciation of historical fluctuations of literary taste and canonization 6. To understand problems of literary translation, transmission, and book production in the Medieval and Renaissance periods 7. To explain the relations between literary achievement and the transition from manuscript to print culture 8. To recognize the influence upon literary expression of religious orthodoxy and heresy 1

2 9. To identify ways in which Medieval and Renaissance literature addresses competing models of sexuality, marriage, intellectual achievement, religious devotion, government, and divinity 10. To develop and articulate a sophisticated sense of themes that are central to the Liberal Studies Program, in particular, how Medieval and Renaissance literature shaped interpretations of relations between the human and the divine, the individual and society, identity and difference 11. To present and defend interpretive arguments clearly and analytically through oral expression and written essays. Consultation and contact information: students may contact Professor Meyer by arm89@georgetown.edu Course Requirements 1. Attendance, close reading of assigned texts, active class participation (20%). Class meetings are the equivalent of four class hours. Missing a class may, and missing more than one entire class (or more than a total of four class hours) will result in a lowering of your final grade, and possible failure of the course. Habitual tardiness will also lower your grade. For medical emergencies that result in multiple absences, you will need to provide written documentation from a doctor; in such cases, SCS administrators will be consulted (as faculty have been instructed to do so). 2. One presentation and leading discussion of a text or group of texts assigned for a class meeting (20%). Students will prepare an outline of their presentation to be distributed at the start of class. 3. Weekly 1-2 page ( words) response essays on assigned texts (20%) (sent electronically by 11pm the evening prior to class). These will be graded on a standard scale from A to F. Late essays will not be accepted. The purpose of these short essays is to help you think critically about the issues discussed in the course, and to demonstrate your active engagement with the primary materials. You are not to use outside sources for these short essays; doing so will be considered a violation of the University s Honor Code and (if proven) will result in an F for the assignment. 4. Two longer essays (7-8 pages), the first focusing on medieval texts, the second focusing on Renaissance texts (40%). Grading: The final grade will be determined as follows: 93% to 100% = A, 90% to 92% = A-, 87% to 89% = B+, 83% to 86% = B, 80% to 82% = B-, 77% to 79% = C+, 73% to 76% = C, 70% to 72% = C-, 67% to 69% = D+, 60% to 66% = D, Below 60% = F 2

3 Week 1 (Jan 9): Introduction and Orientation to the course Middle English Lyric Poetry: Geoffrey Chaucer (ca ): Selections, including, Troilus s Song, An ABC, Chaucers Wordes unto Adam, His Own Scriveyn, Fortune, Gentilesse, Truth. Anonymous, selections, including: What is he, this lording, that cometh from the fight, Ye that Pasen by the Weye, Sunset on Calvary, I sing of a Maiden, Adam Lay Bound, The Corpus Christi Carol. Week 2 (Jan 16) Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales; begin, Wife of Bath s Prologue Week 3 (Jan 23) Wife of Bath s Prologue, continued. Wife of Bath s Tale. Chaucer s Retraction Week 4 (Jan 30) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (ca ) (Required text to purchase) Week 5 (Feb 6) Pearl (ca ) Julian of Norwich (1342-ca. 1416) Revelation of Divine Love and the Motherhood of God (Required text to purchase) Week 6 (Feb 13) William Shakespeare ( ): Sonnets: 1, 3, 12, 18, 30, 55, 65, 73, 106, 116, 129, 130 Week 7 (Feb 20) John Donne ( ), The Good Morrow, The Sun Rising, The Cannonization, Elegy 19. To His Mistress Going to Bed, Batter my heart three-personed God; for you, Good Friday, 1613 Aemilia Lanyer ( ) From Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, To the Doubtful Reader, To the Virtuous Reader, Eve s Apology in Defense of Women Week 8 (Feb 27) Shakespeare, Hamlet, Acts 1-3 (Required text to purchase, Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Bantam Classics, David Bevington, editor)) 3

4 Week 9 (March 6) Shakespeare, Hamlet, Acts 4-5 Week 10 (March 13): No Class (Spring Break) Week 11 (March 20) Shakespeare, Othello, Acts 1-3 (Required text to purchase) Week 12 (March 27) Othello, Acts 4-5 Week 13 (April 3) Shakespeare: King Lear, Acts 1-2 (Required text to purchase) Week 14 (April 10) Shakespeare: King Lear, Act 3 Week 15 (April 17) No Class (Easter Break) Week 16 (April 24) Shakespeare: King Lear, continued, Acts 4-5 Texts to Purchase: Medieval Lyric: Middle English Lyric, Ballads, and Carols, ed., John C. Hirsch Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (September 13, 2004) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: The Canterbury Tales: Fifteen Tales and the General Prologue, ed. V. A. Kolve Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 2nd edition (May 17, 2005) Language: English ISBN-10: ISBN-13: The Gawain Poet: Complete Works: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, Cleanness, Pearl, St. Erkenwald, Marie Barroff, Translator. Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (October 6, 2011) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Julian of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love and The Motherhood of God (Library of Medieval Women Series, Francis Beer, trans, editor) 4

5 Publisher: Boydell and Brewer (Imprint, D.S. Brewer) BOYE6 (April 16, 1998) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Shakespeare s Sonnets, ed. Katherine Duncan-Jones Publisher: Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare; 3 edition (June 22, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, (Bantam Classics, David Bevington, editor) Publisher: Bantam Classics (January 1, 1988) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Seventeenth-Century Century British Poetry Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (December 29, 2005) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: This syllabus is subject to revision at the discretion of the instructor Honor Code MALS students are responsible for upholding the Georgetown University Honor System and adhering to the academic standards included in the Honor Code Pledge stated below: In the pursuit of the high ideals and rigorous standards of academic life, I commit myself to respect and uphold the Georgetown University Honor System: To be honest in any academic endeavor; and to conduct myself honorably, as a responsible member of the Georgetown community, as we live and work together. Citation System An important aspect of academic integrity is using an acknowledged system of bibliographic references to document the sources of ideas and quotations in one s work. Please use the Turabian style system for your written work. Disabilities Statement 5

6 If you believe you have a disability, then you should contact the Academic Resource Center (arc@georgetown.edu) for further information. The Center is located in the Leavey Center, Suite 335. The Academic Resource Center is the campus office responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students with disabilities and for determining reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and University policies. Student Attendance Policy Absence from the first class meeting and/or several unexplained absences or an accumulation of absences may result in failure of the course. Individual professors may reflect a student s absence in the final course grade or by requiring additional course assignments before assigning the final grade. SafeAssign Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for a Textual Similarity Review to SafeAssign for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be added as source documents in the SafeAssign reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers in the future. Use of the SafeAssign service is subject to the terms of use agreement posted on the SafeAssign.com website. Faculty Access / Student Access: Students are responsible for checking the account they have registered with the registrar s office. Blackboard: Students are responsible for accessing articles and assignments on Blackboard and/or reserve (regular and electronic) at Lauinger. No audio or video recording is allowed without express written permission by the professor. This includes recording via a lap top computer. No lap tops are permitted in class without the express permission by the professor. All other electronic devices should be turned off. Anyone text-messaging or otherwise using an electronic device in class will be asked to leave and will be listed as absent. 6

English 2316: English Literature I

English 2316: English Literature I 9:25-10:40 TTh Irby 310 Fall 2011 Instructor: Jay Ruud Office: Irby 317I Phone: 450-3674 (or 450-5100 for secretary) Office Hours: 9:00-11:30 MWF; 2:30-4:30 TTh; or by