ENGL 2004: Survey of British Literature II

Abstract

Goals of the Course:¶ The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the developments in British literature between 1660 and 1870. We will of course only have time for a small sample of writings from these years, so the syllabus should not be considered exhaustive: major authors left off our reading list were done for reasons of time and not merit. Nevertheless, students should come away from the course with a solid timeline of literary progressions and a familiarity with the characteristics of the various eras (Restoration, Romantic, Victorian). Besides these macro-level skill sets, students should be able to focus on the micro as well, demonstrating the ability to perform close reading and literary analysis through three essays.¶ Although the years we will cover may seem remote, writers of these periods were struggling with issues that will seem familiar: authority versus democracy; the tensions between faith and a secular society; the role of women in society; the increasing powers of science and technology; etc. In short, what we will observe is the literary response to the modernization of the Western world.¶ ¶General Education Goals: • Practice skills in close reading and interpretation • Express ideas in writing and practice revising your work • Understand the timeline and development of English literature from 1660 to 1870¶ ¶Goals of the Course: • Practice the skills of close reading of literature • Explore literary interpretation • Write two thesis-driven essays using claims and evidence structure • Practice a variety of critical perspectives interpreting literature