Restoration and
Eighteenth-Century Literature 2006-2007
English
234E
Prof. M.H. McMurran Office
UC 380 ext. 85839
English Dept. mmcmurr2@uwo.ca
sec. 002 TA Allison Hargreaves Off Hrs: T 10:30-12:30
Tu. Th. 1:30/2:30-3:30
Th 3:30-4:30
Sec. 004 Tu. Th. 8:30/9:30-10:30
Description
From cynical to sentimental, from
the classicism of the Augustan period to the modernism of the early romantic
period, the literature of the long eighteenth century presents us with a
variety of new and experimental kinds of writing. This course introduces you to
some of the most influential works of drama, poetry, and prose of the
Restoration and eighteenth century. With the aim of understanding the literary
contributions and innovations of our authors, we will focus on close readings
of texts, which will entail working intensively on analyzing prose styles in
the novel and the essay form, as well as listening for poetic meter, rhyme,
devices and diction. Since, in many ways, these works come to life with a
broader knowledge of eighteenth-century British culture and the history of the
period, we will set the works in historical contexts. We will find out how they
made money, how they socialized, how they loved, married, and divorced, how
they dealt with crime and punishment. We aim at a thorough knowledge of
literary history, as well as a grasp of how the eighteenth century made sense
of life— individuality, gender, the relationship between public and
private—through texts.
Required Texts
The
following required texts are available at the bookstore. A Copy Packet for
234E/334E is also required and available from UWO bookstore.
Lipking and Noggle eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature
8th ed.
Volume
C: The Restoration and Eighteenth Century, NY: Norton
Restoration and
Eighteenth-Century Comedy, Edited by Scott McMillin 2nd edition, 1997.
W. W. Norton & Company.
Johnson,
Samuel. The History of Rasselas, J.P. Hardy ed. Oxford: Oxford World’s
Classics OUP
Locke,
John. Second Treatise
of Government. Hackett Publishing
Sterne, Laurence. The Life and Opinions
of Tristram Shandy. NY:
Penguin Classics
Requirements,
Policies & Grading
I will evaluate both your written and oral
contributions to 234E.
The written work consists of two short essays,
two longer essays, and a final examination. You may be asked to devise your own
paper topics. Late papers are unacceptable, except in extenuating
circumstances. If there is no documentation and/or prior arrangement made, you
will be assessed a late penalty and possibly fail the assignment.
Plagiarism is a serious breach of academic
honesty and punishment will be as severe as possible.
I may use turnitin.com.
The oral portion of your grade includes a
short oral presentation of a reading presented with two of your colleagues.
Guidelines and particulars will be discussed. It also includes daily class
participation. Frequency and quality are equal factors in the assessment of
oral contributions. In order to do well, you must do all the reading, do it critically,
and come prepared to contribute not only your impressions, but formulated
hypotheses and close readings. Most of the course will be a combination of
lecture and discussion. In order to facilitate discussion, a certain portion of
class time each week will be devoted to a seminar in which you speak to each
other about your interpretations. I may sometimes prompt you ahead of time with
a discussion question. Your final grade, as a whole, will be adversely affected
by any more than three absences per term. You will also be required to attend a
bibliographical instruction session once during the year.
Fall term close-reading essay 10%
Fall term essay approx. 2000 words 15%
Winter term research bibliography 5%
Winter term research essay approx 2500 words 20%
Oral presentation & class participation 15%
Final examination 35%
NB: Students are required to pass both term
work and the final examination in order to receive credit for any course in the
Department of English.
We may also have a WebCT
site. Details TBA
English 234E has a website where you will
find our syllabus, important information on plagiarism, research resources, and
essay guidelines. Please bookmark it:
http://instruct.uwo.ca/english/234e/index.html
Finally, do not hesitate to see me during my
office hours or email if you have any concerns about the course.
Schedule
Sept.
7 Introduction
Sept.
12 John Dryden,
“Absalom and Achitophel: A Poem” (Norton
Anthology)
Sept.
14 Aphra Behn “The Disappointment”;
Earl of Rochester “The
Imperfect Enjoyment” (Norton
Anthology)
Sept.
19 & 21 William Wycherly, The Country Wife,
in McMillin, ed.
Restoration
and Eighteenth-Century Comedy and The Collier Controversy, in McMillin
ed., pp. 493-506
Sept.
26 & 28 Aphra Behn, The Rover in McMillan ed., Restoration
and
Eighteenth-Century Comedy
First
Essay Due Tuesday, October 3rd
Oct.
3 & 5 Jonathan
Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, “Voyage to
Lilliput” and
“Voyage to Brobdingnag” (Norton Anthology)
Oct. 10 & 12 Gulliver’s Travels (the last two voyages) and Swift “A Modest
Proposal” (Norton Anthology)
Oct.
17 & 19 John Locke, Second Treatise of Government Chapters
1-5
Oct.
24 & 26 John Locke, Second Treatise of Government Chapters
7, 8, 16;
Mary Astell,
From Some Reflections Upon Marriage
(Norton
Anthology)
Oct.
31 Daniel Defoe
from Roxana; Jonathan Swift, “The
Lady’s Dressing
Room” (Norton Anthology)
Nov. 2 Lady
Mary Wortley Montagu, “The
Reasons That Induced Dr.
Swift to Write a Poem Called
the Lady’s Dressing Room”
Nov.
7 & 9 Alexander
Pope, “The Rape of the Lock” Cantos 1, 2, 5
Nov.
14 William Hogarth, “Marriage A-la-Mode” (Norton Anthology)
Nov.
16 John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera (Norton Anthology)
Nov.
21 & 23 John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera
Nov.
28 & 30 The Beggar’s Opera on film
Dec.
5 Fall
Term Essay Due
Holiday
Break
Jan.
9 & 11 Alexander
Pope, “Windsor Forest” (copy packet)
Jan.
16 & 18 James Thomson,
from “Winter” and from “Autumn” (copy packet);
Anne Finch “A Nocturnal
Reverie” (Norton Anthology)
Jan.
23 & 25 Samuel
Johnson, The History of Rasselas and Johnson, Idler
No. 31 [On Idleness] (Norton Anthology)
Jan. 30 & Feb. 1 Samuel Johnson, The History of Rasselas and Johnson, Rambler No. 60 [Biography] (Norton
Anthology)
Feb.
6 & 8 Samuel
Richardson, Clarissa excerpts (copy
packet)
Feb.
13 & 15 Samuel
Richardson, Clarissa excerpts (copy
packet)
Bibliographic Instruction
Feb. 20 & 22 Old Bailey Sessions Papers:
Cases on Rape (copy packet)
Feb 26-Mar 2 Conference Week
Research Bibliography Due March 8th
Mar.
6 & 8 Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy Volumes 1- 2
Annotated
Bibliography Due March 16th
Mar.
13 & 15 Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy Volumes 8-9
Mar.
20 & 22 Equiano, from The
Interesting Narrative (copy packet)
Mar.
27 & 29 Cugoano, from Thoughts
and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery
(copy
packet)
Winter Term Essay due April 3rd
Apr.
3 & 5 Joseph
Addison [The Pleasures of the Imagination, Spectator
411]
(Norton Anthology); Edmund Burke, from A Philosophical Enquiry (copy packet)
Apr.
10 & 12 Burke (cont’d);
Exam Review