| Term:
Spring, 2005
MW 2:10-4:00, 3-213 Office: 47-35G, tel. 756-2636 Office Hours: TR 12:15-1:45, W 12:30-1:30, and by appt. |
 |
Dr. Debora
B. Schwartz
http://www.calpoly.edu/~dschwart Main English Office: 756-2597 e-mail: dschwart@calpoly.edu |
Site
Navigation
 Calendar
of Assignments. PLEASE NOTE that the on-line
syllabus (not any print-out you may make) is authoritative.
Assignments may be modified in the course of the quarter. Check the
on-line syllabus regularly (before each class) to ensure that you are completing
the correct assignment. It is accessible at http://cla.calpoly.edu/~dschwart/engl252/252sylls05.html
|
||
| Course
Information: |
||
|
||
PREREQUISITES:
GE
area A (esp. expository writing, e.g. ENGL 134, and reasoning,
argumentation and writing, e.g. ENGL 145). Students enrolled
in this class are assumed to have the basic writing, argumentation and
analytic skills taught in the Prerequisite classes. Please be aware
that there is NO FORMAL WRITING INSTRUCTION in this class, nor does it
offer a formal introduction to the principles of literary analysis.
WRITING INSTRUCTION: All sections of ENGL 252 (including this large-lecture class) fulfill the GE area C1 requirement and count as a prerequisite for upper-division C4 (GWR) classes. For this reason, ENGL 252 is normally taught as a writing-intensive course with a significant amount of in-class and out-of-class writing. Due to enrollment constraints, however, this large-lecture section of ENGL 252 will not include any writing assignments. To make up for the lack of written work, there will be daily scantron reading quizzes and an additional midterm exam.
Before rejoicing over "getting off easy," you should seriously consider whether the convenience of having no formal writing component in the class is worth the trade-off: not getting the practice in analytic writing that should be part of a C1 class -- practice which would better prepare you to earn GWR certification when you enroll in an upper-division C4 class. If you decide that you would prefer NOT to take this section due to the lack of writing assignments, please 1) LET ME KNOW before leaving the first class meeting (or by sending me an email); and, 2) PLEASE GO TO POWER AND OFFICIALLY DROP THE CLASS ASAP, so I will know how many persons I can admit from the Waiting List.
NOTE: because of the daily reading quizzes, YOU MUST BRING A SCANTRON
FORM TO EACH AND EVERY CLASS MEETING. If you do not have a scantron
form with you, you will get a 0 on the daily reading quiz and you
will not get credit
for attending class -- both of which will have a negative impact
on your final course
grade.
COURSE
DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
ENGL
252 covers a selection of "Great Books" (and a few lesser known works)
from the European Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the 17th century. In
addition to introducing you to these authors and works, the course aims
to familiarize you with medieval and Early Modern attitudes toward authorship
and textuality, with medieval and Early Modern modes of textual production,
and with specific textual practices relevant to the interpretation of medieval
and Early Modern literature. By the end of the quarter, you will have become
acquainted with a number of significant authors and works of the 12th to
17th centuries, and you will have gained an understanding of some key historical
and cultural developments during this period. You will know how medieval
and Early Modern literature differs from modern literature (and from modern
notions of what literature is): e.g. the differences between manuscript
and print cultures; the tension between Latin and the vernacular languages;
the emphasis on literature as an on-going process rather than an end product;
and the absence of copyright (and thus the inappropriateness of modern
notions of "originality" or "intellectual property") in the medieval and
Early Modern context.
Much of what is presented will be new to most of you, and many of the readings reflect assumptions and ideas that appear strange to a 21st-century audience. For these reasons, several remarks are in order.
1)
ENGL 252 is a READING-INTENSIVE COURSE. Readings will be
considered not only for their intrinsic literary value, but as cultural
artifacts reflecting the "world view" of the authors and audiences for
which they were written. While the texts on the syllabus are
a lot of fun, do not assume that they lack sophistication. The works we
will study this quarter are complex and can prove challenging on an initial
reading. Most or all of the material covered is probably unfamiliar
to you, and the pace is brisk. It is important that you keep up with
the readings and that you read carefully (using the study
guides).
2) The people of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period were not prudes, and the literature they enjoyed can be surprisingly risqué. If you have tender sensibilities, you may occasionally be offended by the bawdiness of some of our readings. Try not to be. In comparison to much of which is on television every night, our readings are relatively tame. The common thread linking these works is their exploration of appropriate gender roles, and more generally, the different takes they offer on the relationship between (and occasionally the battle of) the sexes. As a result, a certain amount of sexual content is inevitable. Be prepared!
3) Due to the time constraints
under which we will be working, classes will focus on interpretation rather
than description. Familiarity with the assigned readings (both background
information and primary texts) will be assumed. Readings will NOT be summarized
for you in class (which ideally should involve some discussion as well
as lecture). For these reasons, the success of the course depends largely
on you. Please make a personal commitment to come to class regularly, punctually,
and prepared. Without these preconditions, ENGL 252 will be of little or
no use to you -- and no fun for any of us! SO: be prepared for an intense
quarter. But also remember: ENGL 252 SHOULD be -- and usually is -- a lot
of fun!
TEXTS:
Some required texts have been ordered and are available at the bookstore.
Do NOT substitute another edition or translation for these printed works:
CLASS
EMAIL ALIAS: Important announcements concerning this class
will be sent over the class email alias: engl-0252-01-052@calpoly.edu.
The class email alias is automatically generated using the email address
of each enrolled student found in the Cal Poly Directory server. If your
Cal Poly email account is NOT your preferred email address, you must
PREPARATION
AND PARTICIPATION:
Readings
are to be completed BEFORE coming to class on the date assigned. Introductions
and background handouts should be read first; they are the context within
which primary readings will be most meaningful. Please note that this background
material is an integral part of the course and will be covered on
reading quizzes and exams. When reading primary texts, refer conscientiously
to the critical apparatus (footnotes, glossary, etc.).
For most reading assignments, Study Questions will be provided to guide your reading. USE THEM!! As a rule, the study guides will contain a number of general questions covering background information on the author or work, followed by some thematic or plot-related questions concerning the primary readings. Familiarize yourself with the study questions BEFORE you begin to read, and refer to guide frequently AS you read, jotting down notes as you go along. Upon completing the reading, it is a good idea to reread the questions and write up a summary of your ideas. This summary will NOT be collected or graded, but will be helpful in preparing for reading quizzes and exams -- and may actually allow us to have some class discussion, despite the fact that there are 200 students enrolled in this class!
Note that length and difficulty of assignments
vary, so look ahead in the reading list when you are planning your time.
You are responsible for ALL the assigned readings, whether fully discussed
in class or not, and for material covered in online readings, e-reserves,
and lectures.
ATTENDANCE
REQUIREMENT AND PARTICIPATION GRADE CALCULATION:
Regular
attendance is an absolute requirement of this class. Your attendance
record will be determined based on two factors: submission of the daily
scantron quiz (administered during the first 10 minutes of every class)
AND your signature on the attendance roster circulated in the last
half hour of every class meeting. Students who do not submit
the scantron reading quiz AND sign the attendance roster on a given day
will be recorded as absent. Two times in the quarter
(only!), a student can receive partial credit for half attendance
(i.e. if s/he arrives too late to take the quiz, forgets to bring a scantron,
must leave before the attendance roster has been circulated, etc.)
Partial credit will be awarded only twice in the quarter; subsequently,
a student will be recorded as absent on any day when s/he does not
submit the scantron quiz AND sign the attendance roster circulated during
the last half hour of class.
Each absence will affect the Attendance portion of your final grade, reducing it from a base of 4.0. Calculation: Your attendance grade will drop .3 for the first unexcused absence (from A [4.0] to A- [3.7]); this penalty will increase by .1 for each subsequent unexcused absence (e.g. to B+ [3.3], B- [2.8], etc.). Additionally, it will drop .1 for the first excused absence (4.0 to 3.9) and .2 for the second excused absence (3.9 to 3.7). Excused absences in excess of two (one full week of class) will be counted the same as unexcused absences. In order for an absence to be excused, you must turn in a written explanation of your absence (include your name, the class and the date missed), SIGNED BY YOU, and attach appropriate documentation (HARD COPY ONLY; NO E-MAIL OR VOICEMAIL ACCEPTED). Any absence for which you do not provide a signed, written explanation will be recorded as unexcused. Please note: work conflicts and job interviews are NOT valid reasons for missing class; you are responsible for keeping your work commitments from conflicting with academic ones.
-- DAILY
READING QUIZZES: Every class will begin with a
10-minute Scantron Reading Quiz. which will be used both to calculate
the Quiz component of your final course grade
and to evaluate your attendance (as noted above,
regular attendance is a requirement of this class, and will factor into
your final course grade). Promptly
at 2:10, I will project the daily Quiz Questions on the large
screen using the Document Camera; the questions will be removed
promptly at 2:20, when you will hand in your scantron forms (after
verifying
that your name is on the form!!). The lecture will begin promptly
at 2:30. Come prepared for a quiz EVERY DAY. Expect some factual
questions (e.g. on the authors, titles, genres, dates, and formal characteristics
of the primary readings, as well as information presented in the background
readings) and some questions focussing on characters and plot developments
in the primary readings (the "great books" themselves). There may
also be IDs of key passages from the primary reading (who is speaking,
to whom, what's going on, etc.).
While the idea of a daily
reading quiz may initially seem daunting, keep in mind that I want you
to do well on them. Quizzes are intended to "keep you honest"
-- to ensure that you are completing the reading assignments -- and will
be written in such a way that students who do so conscientiously should
not find them overly difficult. Study guides
are designed to draw your attention to important points and passages in
the readings, and key background information on the primary texts is listed
under the heading "text info" on the course
calendar. Get in the habit of USING these tools to prepare for
class, and you should do well on the quizzes.
There will be no quiz make-ups, and
no extra time will be given to late-comers -- so come to class on time!
Each quiz will include 1-2 questions more than you are required to answer,
allowing you a little "wiggle room." For instance, there might be
15 questions available to choose from on a quiz worth 13 points.
The two extra questions allow you to earn extra credit (by answering 14
or 15 correctly), and they provide a cushion against errors (since you
will earn 100% for answering only 13 out of 15 questions correctly).
The two lowest quizzes (including any on which you received a 0) will
be dropped from your average at the end of the quarter. A third
quiz will be dropped for students presenting an extra
credit scene or monologue on the last day of class.
--There will be three EXAMS: two Midterms (closed book, in class on Wednesday, 4/20 and on Wednesday, 5/4) and a three-hour, closed-book Final Exam on Tuesday, June 7, from 1:10-4:00 PM. The Final Exam will be cumulative, but with most complete coverage of the works read since the second Midterm exam. YOU MUST TAKE THE FINAL EXAM AT THE SCHEDULED TIME; KEEP THIS DATE IN MIND WHEN MAKING SUMMER TRAVEL PLANS!
-- EXTRA CREDIT: Individuals
or small groups of students have the option of presenting a monologue or
scene from one of the plays read during the last several weeks of class.
Extra Credit performances most be approved by me in advance during
an office hour meeting (your whole group must
attend). Performers will receive credit in the form of a third quiz
being dropped from their average before the quiz
component of the final grade is calculated. Additionally, the
quality
of EC performance grades will recorded as a check, a check plus or a check
minus. Plus and minus grades will be used to help determine your final
grade if your cumulative average is a borderline grade. BONUS POINTS FOR
MEMORIZATION!!!
 |
10 % | Attendance |
| 20% | Reading Quizzes | |
| 40% | Miderm Exams 1 and 2 | |
| 30% | Final Exam |
OH MY GOSH . . . CAN I HANDLE THIS CLASS??
Sure you can -- if you keep up with the readings! But DON'T assume that the class will "take care of itself." If you have a heavy course- and/or work-load, please be sure to budget time for this class . . . or save it for another quarter. Finally. . . remember that I LOVE teaching this stuff, and I'm told that my enthusisam makes my classes more fun!
Contents of this and all linked pages Copyright Debora B. Schwartz, 1999-2005