Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2018 - ENGL 322 D100

Studies in Eighteenth Century Authors (4)

Class Number: 1509

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

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

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 18, 2018
    Wed, 12:00–3:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Two 100 division English courses, and two 200 division English courses.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The study of selected 18th century works, situated in their cultural context. Students with credit for ENGL 408 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

The Scriblerians: Fragmentation and Repurposing  
Like today’s satirical news shows and meme cultures, in the early eighteenth century in London there was a literary movement which took apart, critiqued, and repurposed current events and modern literature. The key players in this activity formed a club and called themselves Scriblerians, after a made-up persona named Martin Scriblerus who represented all they saw as wrong with the current state of literature and modern thinking. This course will begin with contextualization on the Battle of the Ancients and the Moderns, using Swift’s Battle of the Books and Pope’s Essay on Criticism to lay out the conservative values of these two authors, the most famous Scriblerians nowadays. We will then focus on three key texts which use strategies of fragmentation and repurposing to attack what their authors saw as poisonous modern trends in politics, religion, music, and publishing: Swift’s Tale of a Tub (1704), Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (1728), and Pope’s Dunciad (1st version, 1728).

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

1/ to introduce students to literary issues involving satire and parody and to social issues from eighteenth-century Britain,
2/ to develop existing skills in reading texts critically,
3/ to develop existing skills in expressing and supporting critical opinions,
4/ to give students the opportunity to adapt coursework to their own needs and learning styles

Grading

REQUIREMENTS:

Students in this class will individually select what kinds of work they wish to do, when they will hand it in, and how much each component will be worth (within certain restrictions and guidelines).
·        final exam, worth from 20-45% of final grade
·        research essay, historical context (c. 2500-3000 words), 20-40%
·        research essay, critical context (c. 2500-3000 words), 20-40%
·        non-research essay (c. 2000-2500 words), 15-35%
·        creative project, 10-25%
·        participation, 10-25%
·        seminar, 10-25%
·        annotated bibliography, 10-25%
·        dramatic presentation, 5-10%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub and Other Works, edited by Angus Ross and David Woolley, Oxford World’s Classics
ISBN: 9780199549788

John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera and Polly, edited by Hal Gladfelder, Oxford World’s Classics 
ISBN: 9780199642229

Alexander Pope, Selected Poetry, edited by Pat Rogers, Oxford World’s Classics 
ISBN: 9780199537600

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