TR 12:10-2:00 (10-115)
Office: 47-35G, tel. 756-2636
Office Hours: M 3-4, TW 2-3, R 11-12, and by appt.
http://www.calpoly.edu/~dschwart
Main English Office: 756-2597
e-mail: dschwart@calpoly.edu
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Term:
Fall, 2004
TR 12:10-2:00 (10-115) Office: 47-35G, tel. 756-2636 Office Hours: M 3-4, TW 2-3, R 11-12, and by appt. |
Dr. Debora
B. Schwartz
http://www.calpoly.edu/~dschwart Main English Office: 756-2597 e-mail: dschwart@calpoly.edu |
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Prerequisites:
ENGL 134 (new GE) or 114 (old GE); AND ENGL 145 (new GE) or ENGL
215 (old GE); AND ENGL 203 or 204 or 230 or 231or 251 or 252 or
253, or consent of instructor.
GWR: ENGL 380 is a writing-intensive, upper-division literature course which fulfills the GE Area C4 (old GE area C3) requirement. This class may be taken by students wishing to fulfill the Graduate Writing Requirement (GWR). However, please be aware that successful completion of the course does NOT guarantee GWR certification! To achieve GWR certification, you must 1) have junior or senior standing; 2) pass the class with a grade of "C" or better (a C- is not adequate); and 3) WRITE A GWR-CERTIFIABLE ESSAY on the essay portion of either the midterm or the final exam. To achieve GWR certification, your exam essay must conform to the standards for formal analytic writing about literature: it must present a valid argument (appropiate and adequate content), be logically organized, illustrated with appropriate and adequate textual support, and written using correct mechanics (grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, etc.) and in the style appropriate to this kind of writing.
Because this is a writing-intensive course, 50% of the grade must be based on writing assignments. But please note that there is NO FORMAL WRITING INSTRUCTION in this course; see the Paper Writing Guidelines and Essay Evaluation Sheet if you are unsure about the conventions of formal analytic writing about literature. Because the final course grade is based upon many factors, not just the exam essay, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE A HIGH GRADE IN THE CLASS BUT NOT EARN GWR CERTIFICATION. As a rule, NOT all students seeking GWR certification successfully do so through this course. In other words: if GWR certification is your ONLY reason for enrolling in this class, you should seriously consider other options.
Some required texts have been ordered and are available at the bookstore.
Do NOT substitute another edition for these printed works:
| VIDEO SCREENINGS
We will also discuss several films which are on reserve in the Learning Resources and Curriculum Center (LRC) on the 2nd floor of the Kennedy Library (at back by the elevators). These films are the equivalent of readings and must be viewed prior to the class meeting at which they will be discussed. Expect READING QUIZZES on film days to ensure that you have screened the films prior to class! NOTE: These films do not circulate outside the library; they must be screened in the LRC during normal library hours. At least one group screening will be scheduled (dates and times will be posted on the course calendar), or you may see them on your own time. Please note that only selected scenes from the films will be shown in class; you must arrange to see the full videos during regular LRC hours prior to the class meeting at which they will be discussed. Remember: THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR READING THE WORKS ON THE SYLLABUS!! You will NOT pass this course simply by watching the videos. |
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Course
Objectives: ENGL 380 is designed to introduce
students to a highly influential medieval love story which has been eclipsed,
in modern times, by the better known saga of Lancelot and Guenevere.
We will trace the development of the Tristan tradition from the middle
ages to modern times, seeking to understand its ongoing appeal and to analyze
the significance it has held for various periods and audiences. Of
particular interest will be the treatment of the adulterous triangle in
each work and the author's characterization of the protagonists: Tristan,
nephew to King Marc of Cornwall, and Isolde, lover of Tristan and Marc's
queen. Material considered will include artwork, film and an opera
in addition to literary works -- romances, novels, poetry, and plays --
from the medieval period through the 21st century.
Course Information:
Calendar of Assignments: The assignment for each class meeting is found on the on-line calendar at http://cla.calpoly.edu/~dschwart/engl380/380syllf04.html All readings (and video screenings, as applicable) are to be completed before the class meeting on the day for which they are assigned. Unannounced reading quizzes will help monitor whether you are keeping up with assigned readings. Quizzes will take place during approximately the first 10 minutes of class; expect them regularly! Please note that the on-line calendar (not any printout you make) is authoritative. Assignments may be changed or modified in the course of the quarter. Check the on-line calendar regularly (before each class meeting) to ensure that you are completing the correct assignment.
Class
email alias: Important announcements concerning this class
will be sent over the class email alias: engl-0380-01-044@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
Participation:
ENGL
380 is designed to encourage YOUR interaction with and enjoyment of the
works we are studying. The primary emphasis is on the texts, not historical
background or scholarly debate (although some familiarity with the historical
context is essential to an understanding of both medieval and modern works
-- and will be covered on exams). If you are
looking for a passive, sit-back-and-listen lecture, please choose another
course. YOUR active participation is essential to the success of
ENGL 380! For these reasons . . .
REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED. Each
absence will affect the participation portion of your final grade, reducing
it from a base of 4.0. If you have a valid reason for missing class
(illness, family crisis, other unavoidable conflict), TELL ME IN
WRITING. A written explanation, signed (by you), is required for
an absence to count as excused; be sure to include your full name, the
class number, time and section, the date(s) missed and the reason(s) for
the absence(s). (A telephone or e-mail message is appreciated as
a courtesy, but it is NOT sufficient for an absence to count as excused).
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 work commitments from conflicting with academic ones.
Exception: if you are a graduating senior and must travel out of
town for a final interview, ONE such absence will count as excused.
Do not schedule local interviews or other appointments during class hours.
Due to the twice-weekly seminar format, any absence causes you to miss
a substantial chunk of material. Regular and punctual attendance
is required. Please note that EVERY absence will affect the
participation
component of your final course grade.
Attendance
Grade Calculation: "Excused" absences (generally, only for medical
reasons, a family or other emergency, or circumstances truly beyond
your control-- NOT for job conflicts) are weighed less heavily than "unexcused"
absences. For a class that meets twice weekly, the first "excused"
absence lowers the attendance component of the course grade by .2 (4.0
to 3.8); the second "excused" absence lowers it by .3 (3.8 to 3.5).
Excused absences in excess of two (a full week, 10% of the class)
count the same as unexcused absences. The first "unexcused"
absence lowers the attendance component of the final grade by .5 (from
4.0 to 3.5); the second by .8 (from 3.5 to 2.7); unexcused absences
in excess of 2 (a full week, 10% of the class) lower the attendance
component of your final grade by a full increment (2.7 to 1.7 etc.)
Please note that only absences resulting from illness, a family emergency, or circumstances truly beyond your control count as excused. Absences taken for personal convenience are a matter of choice rather than necessity; they will be recorded as unexcused. Please note that deadlines for other courses, work conflicts and job interviews are NOT valid reasons for missing class. Exception: a graduating senior will be granted ONE excused absence for an out-of-town job interview.
FOR ANY ABSENCE TO BE EXCUSED, YOU MUST SUBMIT A SIGNED, WRITTEN NOTE with course number, date missed and an explanation of the circumstances leading to your absence. (Although I do appreciate your courtesy in letting me know why you have missed a class, an Email or a phone message will not suffice; a written statement with your signature is required for an absence to be excused.)
Some classes will begin with an unannounced READING QUIZ. Quizzes are designed to monitor whether you are keeping up with assigned readings (IDs of names and/or key episodes) and to provide you with a handy study guide for exams (so, be sure you know the basic facts about the day's reading -- author, title, date of composition, original language, etc.).
PAPERS:
2 short analytic essays (3-4 pp. ea.), due
?? and ??. Literary analysis and/or close reading presenting an argument
about the interpretation of the Tristan and Isolde story found in the material
under analysis. Topics MUST be chosen from a list of suggested prompts
or PRE-APPROVED by instructor after an individual conference.
*OPTIONAL* ORAL PRESENTATION: Time will be reserved toward the end of the quarter for OPTIONAL oral presentations based on supplemental material chosen by the student in conjunction with the instructor. Creativity is encouraged: a performance, the creation of a website or a power-point-presentation welcome! Future teachers: consider presenting a supplemental reading (a short story or poem which we will make available to your classmates as an e-reading) or analyze some Tristan-themed artwork. Presenters will prepare a one-page handout for distribution to classmates. Oral presentations will count for 10% of the final course grade (see breakdown below).
EXAMS
will cover readings, lectures, and required videos.
The two-hour
Midterm Exam (closed book,
in class, 1??) and three-hour Final (closed
book, on Thursday, 12/9) will each include an essay which you may use to
try for GWR certification. Essays will
be worth 50% of exam points; the remaining 50% will be for the objective
portions of the exam. Expect factual questions (T/F, matching, multiple
choice) about assigned works and key concepts covered in lectures and background
materials. There will also be item IDS: choosing from a list of key
names, objects, and/or episodes, you will identify the work(s) in which
the item appears and explain its significance in those works. The
Final
Exam will be cumulative, but with emphasis on material covered since
the Midterm exam.
FINAL EXAM TIME: Thursday, December 9, 1:10 - 4:00 PM. You MUST take final exam at the scheduled time. KEEP THIS DATE IN MIND AS YOU MAKE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!
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25% * | In-class work. Equal weight is given to participation (based primarily upon class attendance) and to your cumulative quiz average. (*Exception: students completing an oral presentation will have it count for 5% of in-class work grade.) |
| 25% | Writing assignments. Equal weight given to Papers 1 and 2. | |
| 50%* | Exams (cumulative total). (* Exception: students completing an oral presentation will have it count for 5% of Exams grade.) Note: Because this is a C4 writing-intensive course (new GE -- C3 in the old GE), 50% of exam points are for essays. | |
| (10%)* | Optional Oral Presentation (counts as 5% of In-class work grade and and 5% of cumulative Exams grade) |
| 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! And WHAT ABOUT THOSE TWO-HOUR BLOCKS? Rest assured, we'll take a break each day. Feel free to bring
along a caffeinated (or non-caffeinated) drink -- whatever it takes to
keep you alert through two hours. If there is sufficient interest,
rotating cookie duty will be arranged!
WELCOME, AND ENJOY!!! |
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