ENL3251 Victorian Literature CRADDOCK
Fall 1997 Section 1839 T2/3, R3
Office: TUR 4332
email: craddoc@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
phone: 392-0757x259
web page (copies of syllabus and useful web links): http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/pcraddoc
Office Hours: R4, W3-5, AND BY APPOINTMENT
Required books: Altick, Victorian People and Ideas; Abrams et al., eds.,Norton Anthology of English Literature,Vol. II, sixth edition. You will also need a package of 3x5 index cards. Books are available at Goerings bookstore, University and 13th.
The goal of this course is to look at some of the exciting work written during the long reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) in two ways: in as close an approximation as we can achieve of the way in which its original readers would have understood and appreciated the work, and in terms of our own age: what this literature tells us that may be of permanent human value, or that may enable us to see something about ourselves that a modern perspective obscures. Omitting the novel, which is the focus of another course, we will concentrate on poetry and nonfictional prose, with some attention to drama. The dates on which assignments are listed below are the dates on which they are to be completed.
Your grade will be based on the following factors, each of which is explained in detail after the list of reading assignments and due dates for papers.
There will be no exams, but there may be quizzes, which will be averaged in with "point projects."
ASSIGNMENT LIST
August
T26 Introduction--the Victorian age. Also, how to analyze poems, essays, plays. Those who miss this class meeting owing to late registration should see me for extra help if they are inexperienced in dealing with any of these literary forms.
R28 Read Altick, pp. 1-33; Norton 891-908. To discuss: similarities and differences between these two introductions to the "same" age. What is a historical and/or literary "age"?
September
T2 Carlyle, Introduction (910-915), Portraits of contemporaries and Characteristics (915-32); Newman, Introduction and excerpts from The Idea of a University (974-982)
R4 Altick, pp. 33-72
T9 Carlyle, The French Revolution and Past and Present, 958-974 ; Mill, 992-1029
R11 Victorian Issues: The Woman Question 1595-1609
T16 Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 1029-1052; Tennyson, The Princess excerpt on pp 1083-84
R18 Altick 73-113
T23 Tennyson, Introduction; stories and songs 1052-83, 1133-40; "Poems in Progress " 2457-2459
R25 Altick 114-64
T30 Tennyson, In Memoriam 1084-1132 and "The Passing of Arthur," 1154-65; "Crossing the Bar" 1169-70
October
R2 Victorian Issues: Evolution 1571-1580; First Paper due
T7 Arnold, Culture and Anarchy 1404-10, "Literature and Science,"1429-41; T. H. Huxley 1442-53
R9 Altick 165-200
T14 Robert Browning, 1182-1200, 1202-1211
R16 Altick 201-37
T21 R. Browning, 1211-19, 1222-33, 1234-41, 1243-53
R23 Altick 238-68
T28 Emily Bronte, 1266-73; Christina Rossetti, 1472-1493
R30 Altick 269-98 Second Paper due
November
T4 Arnold 1344-67 1379-1404
R6 Altick 299-309
T11 HOLIDAY
R13 Victorian Question: Industrialism 1580-94
T18 Meredith 1453-60, DG Rossetti 1460-72
R20 Criticism as art: Ruskin, 1273-98; Pater, 1526-34; Wilde, 1616-18; 1620-28
T25 Morris, 1494-1503, 1507-9; Swinburne, 1509-12; 1514-19
R27 HOLIDAY
December
T2 The Importance of Being Earnest, 1628-67; Last Paper Due
R4 Hopkins, 1543-53 and Thompson, 1667-72; Last day to turn in projects
T9 Shaw, 1711-54, Mrs. Warren's Profession
R11 Last day to turn in rewrites--NOT A CLASS DAY
CRITICAL PAPER TOPICS (you may do the critical papers and the historical paper in any order).
HISTORICAL PAPER TOPICS (CHOOSE A OR B--NOT BOTH!)
POINT PROJECTS You may earn 1-5 points, roughly proportional to the amount of work required, for short projects, as explained below. Everyone should try to earn at least 10 points; up to 10 points beyond that may be counted as extra credit. For each two project points, your final grade will rise one point; thus, earning 20 project points will raise your grade one full letter, EXCEPT as follows: a grade can not be raised from F to D by extra credit alone; a grade cannot be raised from B to A by extra credit alone (but it could be raised from B+ to A). Point projects may be handed in at any time and 3-5 point projects should be presented orally as well as in writing.
CLASS PERFORMANCE (ATTENDANCE CARDS). Class preparation and attendance count 10% of your grade in the course. Everyone starts with a high C--75--in class performance. At every class meeting you will turn in a 3x5 index card. On this card, in addition to your name and the date, you will state how far you have gotten with the assigned reading. There is no penalty for being behind in the reading, except that if you don't catch up, it will be harder to earn points for good preparation. You will add a comment or question on what you have just been reading. Comments or questions on current work will receive 1 or 2 points, depending on quality; comments or questions on late work will receive .5 or 1 point, again depending on quality. Three points will be subtracted for each unexcused absence beond two; one point will be subtracted for major unexcused lateness or early departure from class, because such behavior is rude and disruptive. Note that Tuesday classes are double classes, so absence on Tuesday subtracts six points from your attendance grade. Thus it will be easy, IF you do your assignments and keep up with the reading, to make up for an absence or so, or to raise your grade in this aspect of the course to an A or A+. To receive any credit, a comment or question must indicate that you are really reading the material.
HOT LINKS
