British Literature I - Department of English | New York University

V41.0210.001: British Literature ILecturer: Prof. ArcherProfessor John M. Archer Office hours: Tues 4:30-5:30Department of English Wed 3:30-5:3019 University Place, Fifth Floor, office 532212 992-9590ja67@nyu.edu*********************Jan 19Introduction to the courseEighth to Tenth Century [ Longman Anthology 1A ]Jan 24 Beowulf, lines 1-1405. Read the editors’ headnote to Beowulf (pp. 27-29:read the headnotes to later sections as we come to them). Also read “TheMiddle Ages,” pp. 3-10.Jan 26 Beowulf, lines 1406-2802Twelfth CenturyJan 31Britain and Arthur: Geoffrey of Monmouth (pp. 159-71) and Marie deFrance, Lais: “Prologue” and “Lanval”; “The Middle Ages,” pp. 11-26.Fourteenth--Fifteenth CenturiesFeb 2 Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: study section on Middle Englishlanguage and verse, pp. 282-84, and read all of “The General Prologue.Feb 7 “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue,” lines 1-458.Feb 9 Wife’s “Prologue”(lines 459-862) and “Wife of Bath’s Tale”Feb 14Feb 16Feb 18“The Pardoner’s Prologue” and “The Pardoner’s Tale”The Book of Margery Kempe (pp. 529-49); today’s lecture will also include atalk on plagiarism and the correct use of sources.First paper due in Recitation sectionFeb 21 HOLIDAYFeb 23 Mankind (pp. 601-31)Sixteenth Century [ Longman Anthology 1B ]Feb 28 Sir Thomas More, Utopia; “The Early Modern Period,” pp. 641-47.Mar 2 Sir Thomas Wyatt: poems; and pp. 653-56.Mar 7 Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey: poemsMar 9 MIDTERM

March 14-18 BREAKMar 21 Edmund Spenser, “A Letter of the Authors” and The Faerie Queene,Book I, cantos 1-9Mar 23 Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book I, cantos 10-12Mar 25 Second Paper due in RecitationMar 28Mar 30Sir Philip Sidney, The Apology for Poetry.Sidney, Astrophil and Stella sonnets; Mary Herbert, Countess ofPembroke, “Even Now that Care” and “To Thee, Pure Sprite”Seventeenth CenturyApr 4Apr 6Apr 11Apr 13William Shakespeare, The Tempest; “Companion Readings” byStrachey and Montaigne, pp. 1345-53.Tempest concluded; Shakespeare, Sonnets selections; MaryWroth, Pamphilia toAmphilanthus selections.John Donne: poems and Holy Sonnets; Burton, “Division of theBody,” pp. 1777-78.Ben Jonson: poems (pp. 1628-38); Aemilia Lanyer, Salve Deus RexJudaeorum selections and “The Description of Cookham”Apr 18 John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 1; and pp. 647-650, 1810-12, 1836-37.Apr 20 Paradise Lost, Book 2, lines 629-1055 and Book 3 selectionApr 25Apr 27Apr 29Paradise Lost, Book 4 and Book 5 selectionsParadise Lost, Book 8 selectionThird Paper due in RecitationMay 2 Paradise Lost, Book 9 and Book 12, lines 552-649.WEDESDAY MAY 4FINAL EXAM: 10:00-11:50, room to be announced%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%TEXTSLongman Anthology of British Literature, Vols. 1A and 1BOptional: Strunk and White, The Elements of StyleAvailable at NYU Bookstore.REQUIREMENTSParticipation in Recitation Sections (10%) : You must keep up with the reading andcome prepared to talk about it in your discussion section each week. (There will also beopportunities for questions and comments in the lectures.) Your Recitation grade includesquizzes and brief writing assignments.

Attendance policy: No more than TWO unexcused absences from Recitations arepermitted. More than two may cause you to fail the course. Provide medical or otherdocumentation to your Recitation instructor to excuse an unavoidable absence.First paper (10%): One 4-5 page essay (see Format instructions below) on an assignedtopic. Due Friday Feb 18 (in Recitation).Second and Third papers (20% each): Each paper is to be from 5-6 pages (typed, doublespaced);a choice of topics will be provided in advance. Grammar and spelling will bemarked. Due Friday March 25 and Friday April 29 (in Recitation).Format: Papers must be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, with one inch borders.Provide a brief title for your paper (title-page optional and not included in page count). Youmay use footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical citations—just be clear and consistent. Youneed not use secondary sources, but if you do, attach a page listing all works cited.Rewrite policy: You may rewrite and resubmit the First and Second Paper (but not the ThirdPaper) for a chance at an improved grade for that assignment ONLY IF you receive a gradeof B- or less. Rewrites are due two weeks after the paper is returned to you. It’s up to you toarrange a meeting with your Recitation instructor to discuss how best to rework your firstsubmission.Plagiarism: Plagiarism will cause you to fail the assignment and may cause you to fail thecourse. In the latter case, a letter on your plagiarism will be sent to the dean of CAS and willbe placed in your file.Midterm Exam (20%): Identification and analysis of passages; an essay. Some choice.Final Exam (20%): Same as above. Covers second half of term.