Spring 2008
ENGL
2120H: British Literature
3:30-4;45 MW
1204 TLC
“Needing
the Monster”: The Fantastical and
Grotesque
in British Literature
CONTACT INFORMATION
Office number: TLC 2245
Office hours: T, 11-3 and by appointment
Office phone: 678-839-4864
Website: http://www.westga.edu/~ainsenga/
E-mail: ainsenga@westga.edu
THE COURSE
Course description:
- A
survey of important works of British literature. Required for English
majors. May count for credit in Area C.2. Prerequisites: ENGL 1101 and
ENGL 1102.
- A
further specific description pertaining to this section of the course may
be added.
Course Goals:
- Students
will develop the ability to recognize and identify significant
achievements in British literature.
- Students
will understand the relevant social, historical, and aesthetic contexts of
these literary works.
- Students
will appreciate the implications of theoretical and critical approaches to
such literature.
- Students
will develop enhanced cultural awareness and analytical skills.
- Students
will demonstrate their command of academic English and of the tenets of
sound composition by means of thesis-driven analytical prose.
Section-Specific
Description:
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's
warning that “Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not
turn him into a monster [and that] if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss
will gaze back into you" is not one that applies to artists who bravely
plumb the depths to create monsters of their own. Our class, a survey of
British literature, will investigate such creatures born of authors' minds.
Taking as our general premise that humanity "needs" its hobgoblins,
we will focus on artistic creations that pit humans against demons, both real
and metaphorical, and ask ourselves what purposes such grotesque figures serve
in their various cultural incarnations.
THE WORK
Required Texts (in order of
reading/viewing):
- The
Village,
dir. M. Night Shyamalan
- Beowulf, anonymous
- Titus
Andronicus,
William Shakespeare
- Rime
of the Ancient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- "Goblin
Market," Christina Rossetti (nothing to buy; simply click the
hyperlink on the syllabus)
- Dracula,
Bram
Stoker
- The
Voyage Out,
Virginia Woolf
- Heart
of Darkness (excerpts),
Joseph Conrad (nothing to buy; I’ll provide these excerpts)
Undoubtedly, many of you will have access
to other editions of the texts above. I
will be working from the above editions and their translations, however, and I
implore you to buy, at the very least, the Coleridge and Stoker texts I have
listed, for you will have reading assignments from these particular texts
beyond the primary material found in them.
In class, we will also view
and discuss scenes from the following films (nothing to buy):
- Robert
Zemeckis’s Beowulf
- Julie
Taymor’s Titus
- Francis
Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula
- Francis
Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now
Major Assignments:
- Two
3-4 page Response Papers (15%, 15%)
- Two
comprehensive examinations (25%, 25%)
- One
fifteen-minute, discussion-generating presentation (10%)
- Daily
reading quizzes/thinking-on-paper exercises (10%)
Description of Major Assignments:
- Response
Papers:
You will write two Response Papers
this semester, each 3-4 pages long. Each will have its own assignment sheet
that asks you to respond to a central question with your own ideas backed up by
textual evidence. Both short essays will need to be word-processed and use
correct MLA documentation.
- Comprehensive
examinations:
Each examination—one at mid-term
and one during the final examination period—will ask you to identify passages
and write about their significance. The
exams are designed to last the entire class period, and we will have a review
session for each during the class period before you test.
- Discussion-generating
presentation:
During the first week of classes,
you will sign up for a presentation date.
Each student’s fifteen-minute presentation will be on the reading for
the assigned day and should be organized as follows: a brief overview of the reading
including major occurrences, character development or introductions, controlling
themes, symbols, etc.; the student’s thoughts/response to the reading; and,
finally, a list of three to five comprehensive questions designed to generate
analytical discussion about the particular reading assignment. These questions will act as the guiding force
for that day’s in-class discussion, so you’ll want to spend the most time
during your preparation thinking of in-depth questions that lead us towards
substantive analysis of the texts.
In essence, your presentation will
consist of a brief summary (the grammar and logic of the
text), your overall reaction, and a generation of analysis and
interpretation (rhetoric) through the questions you pose and then
discuss with me and the class.
Each presenter is also required to
prepare a hand out for the class that includes a written summation of the three
parts above and a correct MLA formatted Works Cited page that lists the primary
and secondary material s/he uses. Presentations will be graded based on how
well students briefly encapsulate the reading assignment and construct
appropriate, detailed questions for discussion.
I include strategies for coming up
with analytical questions are on the class resource page, and we will address
methods for generating interpretive questions during the first few class
periods.
- Daily
quizzes/Thinking-on-paper:
At the beginning of almost every
class, we will take a short quiz. Each
quiz requires that you understand basics of the reading assignment (plot,
character names, pertinent symbols and concepts, etc.) and can begin to
interpret the major ideas/concepts in the text.
THE POLICIES
Grading Scale:
The ENGL department designed and
uses a rubric for all ENGL courses 2000-level and above. I’ve linked this rubric to your class’s resource
page, and I will use it to assess your work. As per university policy, I cannot
discuss grades online or over the phone.
You can, however, feel free to discuss grades with me in person during
office hours or an arranged appointment.
Required Format:
All out-of-class work must
be word-processed and use correct MLA format and documentation. If you
need a review on this documentation system, check your course resource page for
links to MLA supplements.
My Website/Paperless Policy:
Many of your professors in the past
may have used WEBCT for getting information to you. However, I use only
my website (www.westga.edu/~ainsenga
). All information for this course—this document, the two assignment
sheets, pertinent handouts, announcements, resources, etc.—are hyperlinked on
the website. Please check the site regularly for updates. You will be
responsible for printing out all documents from my website to bring to
class.
My UWG Policy:
As of fall 2006, all e-mail
correspondence between professors and students must occur via university
e-mail. Please send all questions/ideas/concerns to me via you’re My UWG
account. I cannot answer to any other e-mail address.
Departmental
Attendance/Disruptive Student Policies:
Students will be administratively
withdrawn from class based on the following attendance policy: for
classes that meet three times a week, a student is allowed four absences. Upon
the fifth absence, the student will be withdrawn. For classes that meet
twice a week, a student is allowed three absences. Upon the fourth
absence, the student will be withdrawn. Be aware that no distinction
exists between excused and unexcused absences. You need not inform me of any
absence, as it is your affair.
Students will be dismissed from any
class meeting in which they exhibit behavior that disrupts the learning
environment of others. Such behavior includes—but is not limited
to—repeatedly arriving late for class, allowing cell phones to ring, speaking
disrespectfully to the instructor and/or to other students, checking email or
surfing the web, and using personal audio or video devices. Each dismissal of
this kind will count as an absence and will be applied toward the attendance
requirements policy above.
Regarding tardiness: repeated
tardiness will affect your grade negatively. If you arrive late and we
are already quizzing, jump in immediately. I will give absolutely no make-up
quizzes.
Late Work Policy:
Because you have so much time to
complete assignments and the entire schedule of assignments is laid out for you
on the first day of class, I deduct a letter grade per weekday for late
work/essays. This means, for example, that if an essay assignment is due
on a Monday and you do not turn it in until Wednesday two letter grades will be
deducted from the final essay grade. Please do not place drafts/work outside of
my office door or under my office door unless you and I have made such an
arrangement. I will not accept the work.
Make-Up Work Policy:
You may not make up missed
quizzes. Group work will be turned in by those who participate in
class, and there is no way to make up group work. In-class tests cannot be made
up except under dire circumstances. If you feel you have an extenuating
circumstance, you must see me to discuss your problem.
NOTE: I
realize that, occasionally, “life happens” and that some problems beyond your
control crop up once in a while. Never hesitate to discuss problems with
me if you feel that your circumstance is dire. With honest and swift
communication, most issues can be resolved to your advantage.
Students with Special Needs:
Any student who has a special need
should inform me during the first week of class. We will then set up a conference
to discuss the specifics of the official paperwork you have from the
appropriate department.
Plagiarism, Collusion, and
Academic Dishonesty Policy:
From the English Department’s
website: “The Department of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as
taking personal credit for the words and ideas of others as they are presented
in electronic, print, and verbal sources.” The Department expects that students
will accurately credit sources in all assignments. An equally dishonest
practice is fabricating sources or facts; it is another form of misrepresenting
the truth. Plagiarism is grounds for failing the assignment and/or
course. You can also be subject to a university disciplinary review, and
the university requires professors to report plagiarism in writing to the
appropriate university office. Other university policies for handling cheaters
are found here: The Faculty
Handbook and Student
Uncatalogue: “Rights and Responsibilities””
Please note: “excessive
collaboration” includes having family members, friends, or significant others
edit your work. This means that no one should “fix” your grammar for you
or “write in” sentences/sources/documentation for you. This sort of
behavior is cheating and will be treated as such. We will collaborate in
class, and you have the
Course Theme and Workload:
Our course theme, the grotesque and
fantastical, will serve as an analytical springboard into our discussion and
study of the assigned texts. By no means
will we solely focus on this theme during class discussion. Undoubtedly, you will come up with concepts
and ideas of your own for us to flesh out together.
This course meets twice a
week. You can expect heavier reading
assignments between Wednesday and Monday classes, since you have five nights to
complete the work.
Administrivia:
- The
absolute best way to contact me, outside of office hours, is via
e-mail. Of course, you may call or come by during office hours, but
you will likely receive the fastest response via e-mail.
- Please
turn off all electronic devices upon entering our classroom. Such
noise distracts your fellow classmates and me and prevents us from doing
our jobs. See the disruptive policy above for further clarification.
- I
reserve the right to amend this document with future handouts or
reschedule office hours if I need to do that.
- Coming
to class unprepared will result in an automatic absence. You must
have your materials in order to participate fully. Of course, you
will be free to stay in class for the benefit of instruction and
discussion, but you are, for all intents and purposes, not here when you
do not have your materials.
THE DAILY SYLLABUS
January 9
- In
Class:
-Course Introduction
-Sign up for presentation topics,
if you wish
- For
next class:
-Buy all texts
-View The Village
-Skim the introduction in your
edition of Beowulf
January 14
- In
Class:
-The Trivium and the Semiotic
Iceberg
-Discuss The Village
-Sign up for presentation topics
(must be done by today)
- For
next class:
-Read Beowulf, pgs. 3
through line 789 on pg. 53
-Read the Beowulf
supplemental materials found on your class’s website
-Review the link to the Trivium and
Semiotic Iceberg on the class resource page
January 16
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Finish discussion of The
Village
-Generate course questions of
inquiry
-Introduction to Beowulf
- For
next class (January 23):
-Read Beowulf, middle of pg.
53 through line 1599 on pg. 111
January 21
No
regular class or office hours: holiday
January 23
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Beowulf
-Presentation One
- For
next class:
-Read Beowulf, pg. 111
through line 2471 on pg. 167
January 28
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Beowulf
-Presentation Two
- For
next class:
-Finish Beowulf
January 30
- In
Class:
-Discuss Beowulf
-Examine and discuss scenes from
Zemeckis’s Beowulf
-Presentation Three
-Response Paper one assigned (see
the class resource page today)
- For
next class:
-Read Chaucer, The General
Prologue, pgs. 1-54
-Read the General Prologue link on
your class resource page
February 4
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Introduction to and discussion of
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
-Presentation Four
- For
next class:
-Read Chaucer, The Prioress’s Tale,
pgs. 279-296
-Read the link on The Prioress’s
Tale on the class resource page
February 6
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss
-Presentation Five
- For
next class:
-Read Chaucer, The Wife of Bath’s
Tale, pgs. 384-463
-Read the link on The Wife of
Bath’s Tale on the class resource page
February 11
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss
-Presentation six
- For
next class:
-Read Shakespeare, Act I
February 13
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Introduction to and discussion of Titus
Andronicus
-Examine and discuss scenes from Taymor’s
Titus
-Presentation seven
- For
next class:
-Read Shakespeare, Acts II and III
February 18
- In
Class:
-Discuss Titus Andronicus
-Examine and discuss scenes from
Taymor’s Titus
- For
next class:
-Read Shakespeare, Act IV
-Finish Response Paper one
February 20
- In
Class:
-Response Paper one due
-Discuss Titus Andronicus
-Presentation eight
- For
next class:
-Finish Shakespeare, Act V
-Read the article on Titus
Andronicus linked on the class resource page
February 25
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Titus Andronicus
-Mid-term Review
- For
next class:
-Study for the mid-term examination
February 27
- In
Class:
-Mid-term examination
- For
next class:
-Read in Coleridge, pgs. 35-59
-You can also listen to Coleridge’s
poem by clicking on the mp3’s at Project
Gutenberg. Right click and click
“save as” to save
each of the seven parts, if you
wish.
-Also, make sure to check out the
pictures in your text that go along with the poem, pgs. 109-169.
March 3:
Mid-term—last day to drop with a “W”
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Introduction to and discussion of Rime
of the Ancient Mariner
-Presentation nine
- For
next class:
-Read Coleridge, pgs. 60-85, and
skim pgs. 169-190
March 5
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- For
next class:
-Read Coleridge, pgs. 85-106 and
continue to skim pgs. 169-190
March 10
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Rime of the Ancient
Mariner
-Presentation ten
- For
next class:
-Read
and listen
to Rossetti’s “Goblin Market”
-Read the information found at the
hyperlink to the Victorian Web on your class resource page
March 12
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss “Goblin Market”
-Presentation eleven
- For
next class (March 24):
-Read Stoker, chps. I-XIII
-Peruse the Dracula
information found at the hyperlink on your class resource page
March 17
No
class or office hours: holiday
March 19
No
class or office hours: holiday
March 24
- In
Class:
-Introduction to and discussion of Dracula
-Examine and discuss scenes from
Coppola’s Dracula
-Response Paper two assigned (see
the class resource page)
- For
next class:
-Read Stoker, chps. XIV-XVII
March 26
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Dracula
-Presentation twelve
- For
next class:
-Read Stoker, chps. XVIII-XXII
March 31
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Dracula
-Examine and discuss scenes from
Coppola’s Dracula
- For
next class:
-Read Stoker, chps. XXIII-XXVII
-Read “The Occidental Tourist: Dracula and the Anxiety of Reverse
Colonization,” pgs. 462-470 in the Norton Critical edition of Stoker’s text
April 2
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss Dracula
-Presentation thirteen
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 9-69
April 7
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Introduction to and discussion of The
Voyage Out
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 70-102
April 9
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss The Voyage Out
-Presentation fourteen
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 103-194
April 14
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss The Voyage Out
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 195-219
April 16
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss The Voyage Out
-Presentation fifteen
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 220-325
April 21
- In
Class:
-Discuss The Voyage Out
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 326-354
-Read Conrad excerpts (I’ll hand
these out)
-Finish Response Paper two
April 23
- In
Class:
-Response Paper two due
-Discuss The Voyage Out and Heart
of Darkness excerpts
-Presentation sixteen
- For
next class:
-Read Woolf, pgs. 355-375
April 28
- In
Class:
-Quiz
-Discuss The Voyage Out, Heart
of Darkness, and scenes from Coppola’s Apocalypse Now
- For
next class:
-Bring all of your notes and texts
for final examination review
April 30: last day of MW classes
- In
Class:
-Course Evaluations
-Final examination review
May 2
-Final examination,