Spring 2018 - ENGL 203 D100

Early Modern Literature (3)

Class Number: 1359

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 3 – Apr 10, 2018: Mon, Wed, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 16, 2018
    Mon, 3:30–6:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Two 100 division English courses.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A survey of the literature of the period from 1485 to Milton. Students with credit for ENGL 204 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

In English 203, we will study a wide selection of British poetry, prose, and drama, dating from the beginning of the sixteenth century until the middle of the seventeenth. Two sets of terms that describe this period are “renaissance” and “early modern”: the former implies a look backwards to continental and classical influences; and the latter implies a look ahead toward the modern era. This course will attempt to join the spirits of “early modern” and “renaissance” by focusing on different continental and classical literary forms—including the lyric, sonnet, epyllion, tragedy, romance, and epic—and investigating what happens when these forms are “made new,” or, more appropriately, made “early modern.” The course is intended to provide an introduction, so students do not need to have any prior knowledge of British history or culture to enroll and succeed in this course.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

The main objective of this course is to help students gain confidence in reading and understanding early modern English literature. Because so many of these texts are written in unfamiliar literary styles, idioms, and forms, this course will emphasize the development of analytical skills and will help students acquire a working knowledge of the early modern (or renaissance) historical moment. Students will focus on both the close reading of texts and on understanding broader themes and patterns in artistic development, especially the social and historical significance of a variety of issues. Students will also be encouraged to interrogate the larger role of the “canon” in the formation of English literature.

Grading

  • Lecture attendance (5 pop quizzes) 5%
  • Tutorial attendance, participation, and presentation 15%
  • Collaborative case study 10%
  • In-class midterm (4 to 5 pages) 15%
  • Final essay (6 to 7 pages) 25%
  • Final exam 30%

NOTES:

Collaborative case study: In groups of two or three, students will perform a “case study” that pairs one critical or historical essay with a text at hand. The case study is three (3) double-spaced pages, and students will have two weeks to complete the assignment (each group submits one copy only). Further instructions will be provided two weeks before the case study is due, though students are encouraged to meet their peers early in the semester and to decide with whom they would like to work.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Greenblatt, Stephen, ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume B: The Sixteenth Century / The Early Seventeenth Century. 9th Edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.

For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS