British Literature I

Spring 1998
M. Arn Bakeless 113 (x4428)
e-mail: marn@planetx

Required materials:

Beowulf
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Spenser, The Fairie Queene
Marlowe, Dr. Faustus
Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
Jonson, Volpone
Donne, Selected Poems
Milton, Paradise Lost and Other Poems
Swift, A Modest Proposal
Pope & Beardsley, Rape of the Lock
Map (purchase from teacher)
A pack of 3 x 5 cards

These are also required:

A dictionary of literary terms (Holman & Harmon, A Handbook to Literature or
Abrams, Dictionary of Literary Terms), if you don't already own one
American Heritage desk dictionary (hardback) or equivalent

Note: If you are taking this course for writing credit, you must also purchase a copy of the MLA Handbook. In all cases, you must use the text ordered for the course and not some other text.

Course requirements:

Your final grade will be made up of:

Papers: 10% 30%
Participation: 10% (that is the equivalent of one full letter grade)
Test on medieval literature: 20%
Final examination: 30%

In addition to a mid-term and a final, you will write two papers. The first will be 1500 words (about five to six typed pages, depending on how many words you get on a page); the second, 2000 words (about seven to eight pages). P apers that do not satisfy these word-length requirements as well as those that are not handed in by the due date will automatically receive lower grades. For help in preparing papers, see the guidelines I have provided in both handout and electron ic form (on my home page). In addition, all handouts are accessible through my home page; you will be expected to print your own material (if you have a problem, I want to know about it immediately).

There will be unannounced quizzes (on both background material and the literature itself) if it becomes evident to me that a significant number of you are not keeping up with the reading. You can generally expect your written work to be re turned within ten days of submission.

I will not accept late work.

You are expected to attend class (i.e., all the classes), read the assignment before class, form an opinion about what you read before you come to class, and be ready to participate.

No eating or drinking in class, please.

Office hours:

Monday and Wednesday: 5:30 to 6:00 and 8:45 to 9:15
Tuesday and Thursday: 1:00-2:00, 4:45 to 5:15, and by appointment

If you cannot come at these times, see me this week to arrange an alternate time. You are strongly encouraged and advised to stop by with questions, no matter how minor they may seem to you. You are also welcome to stop by and talk abo ut the course, about individual works, or about anything else, for that matter. The door is open. Don't wait till you have a problem.

I expect to hear about impending absences before you miss a class. Contact me by phone (x4428), by e-mail (marn@planetx), or in person (113 Bakeless); written notes involve delay and are therefore not not a good form of communication. My home ph one number is 389-8175 (please no calls after 10:00 P.M.).

In the event that you miss a class, you remain responsible for the reading, any announcements or handouts, and the material covered in that class, and you are expected to be prepared for the following class. Absence will be no excuse f or not knowing class material, written or oral (note the 10% participation component above).

Grading Criteria:

Work that can be evaluated mathematically will be graded on the following scale:

A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
E 59% and lower
Work not submitted 0%
or submitted late

Work that must be evaluated subjectively will be graded subjectively:

A Absolutely marvelous
B Pretty darn good
C OK
D Weak/sloppy/error ridden
E Get real

Return to Course Page

Rev 1/98