English 355

18^th Century British Literature: 1660-1760

MWF 1030-1120 Roop 1

Dr. Jeffrey W. Timmons

Graybeal Hall G6

jtimmons@vwc.edu

www.vwc.edu/~jtimmons

757.455. 3390

Office Hours: MW 12-100, TTH 10-1130, 130-300 and by appt.

Course Description: A chronological and thematic survey of British Restoration and 18^th Century writing. Major figures, such as Dryden, Swift, Pope, Richardson, Fielding, and Johnson, are studied alongside important women writers, including Behn, Cavendish, Astell, Haywood, Lennox, Fielding, and Burney. Setting literary texts into their historical contexts, focus is given to genre, print culture, natural philosophy, empire, nationalism, and the emergence of a polite, commercial society. Although most of these writers and themes are covered in the course, its particular focus and materials will vary between semesters.

Required Texts:

Damrosch, David. ed. The Longman Anthology of British Literature: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. Vol. 1C. New York: Longman, 2003.

Johnson, Samuel. The History of Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia. New York: Oxford UP, 1999.

Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. New York: Oxford UP, 2005.

Course Requirements:

Writing:

4 Essays (4-5pgs) 400pts

5 Responses/Presentations (400-600 Words) 275pts

Exams:

Midterm 75pts

Final 150pts

Quizzes 50pts

Attendance: 50pts

Discussion Participation (questions/comments): 50pts Potential Extra Credit

Attendance: You cannot miss more than SEVEN classes for any reason and pass this course. Chronic lateness and/or early departures can constitute absences. Your attendance grade is determined by the total number of classes missed: B= 2, C = 3, D = 4, F = 5 or more missed classes. The student is responsible for any material and/or assignments missed during an absence. It is highly advisable NOT to miss class on days that assignments are handed out or discussed—see the schedule below.

Grading Scale for Final Grades: A = 950pts; A‑ = 900; B+ = 875; B = 850; B‑ = 800; C+ = 775; C = 750; C‑ = 700; D+ = 675; D = 650; D‑ = 600; and F = anything below the D‑ grade.

General Expectations of Students: Your primary role is being a good reader, which means 1) completing the assigned reading before the scheduled class; 2) asking questions to clarify your understanding of the reading; 3) discussing the reading; and 4) engaging others’ views and ideas about the reading. Coming to class without your textbook constitutes an absence.

Late Work: All assignments must be completed by their respective due dates. Assignments submitted late suffer penalties, and they are not guaranteed to be read or graded. Response Essays will not be accepted late at all.

Quizzes: These are given during the first five minutes of class to those students who are present in class. They can not be made up nor are they given to students who arrive late to class.

Make-Up Exams: All exams must be completed on the day and time they are scheduled. Unless arrangements are made in advance of a scheduled exam, no make-up exams are given.

Conferences: Students should initiate discussions with the instructor about course material during office hours. Talking about the reading and writing assignments with your instructor is helpful and usually enjoyable.

Course Policies: Students are responsible for knowing the policies and responsibilities as they are stated in this syllabus. The instructor reserves the right to revise the policies, schedules, assignments contained herein. Any changes are announced in advance.

Plagiarism: Representing someone else’s work as your own constitutes grounds for failing this course.

Honor Code: Students are expected to be familiar with and abide by the honor code found in the Student Handbook and Catalog.

Accommodations: Virginia Wesleyan College recognizes and is sensitive to students with special needs. In accordance with Title 5, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the college provides reasonable accommodations based on appropriate and recent medical or other documentation. The student’s choice to use accommodations is voluntary, however the student must register with the Disabilities Coordinator, Fayne Pearson (455.3246, fpearson@vwc.edu). Based on an evaluation of the student's documentation and discussion with the coordinator, reasonable accommodations are determined. Faculty are notified accordingly.

Final Exam: Monday, December 12, 1130-200pm.

Date	Topic	Reading	Due
Aug. 29	Introduction, Expectation, Questions Response #1 and Presentation Assignment
31	“The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century” Essay #1 Assignment	2061-2084
Sept. 2	Pepys, from “The Diary”	2085-2112	Response #1 Presentation
7	“The Royal Society and the New Science” Cavendish, “The Hunting of the Hare,” from “A True Relation of my Birth, Breeding, and Life,” from “Observations upon Experimental Philosophy,” from “The Description of a New Blazing World”	2123-2142 2142 2144-2157
9	Cavendish
12	Carleton, from “The Case of Madam Mary Carleton” Gay, “The Beggar’s Opera”	2112-2122 2585-2632
14	Gay Essay #2 Assignment		Essay #1
16	“‘The Beggar’s Opera’ and its Time”	2632-2646
19	Behn, Poems, “‘Aphra Behn’ and her Time”	2213-2235
21	Behn In Class Midterm Part I
23	Rochester, Poems	2277-2288	Online Midterm
26	Wycherley, “The Country Wife” Handout: “All for Love”	2288-2356
28	Dryden, “All for Love” Response #2 and Presentation Assignment	2157-2159 Handout
30	Dryden, “Preface” to “Fables Ancient and Modern”	2202-2210
Oct. 3	Dryden, “Absalom and Achitophel”	2159-2184	Response #2 Presentation
5	Dryden, “Absalom and Achitophel,” “Companion Reading”	2184-2186
7	Dryden, “MacFlecnoe” Pope, from “The Dunciad,” “The Rape of the Lock”	2186-2192 2474-2475 2561-2572 2504-2509
9	Pope, “The Rape of the Lock,” “Windsor Forest”	2509-2523 2493-2503	Essay #2
12	Pope, “An Essay on Criticism” Response #3 and Presentation Assignment	2476-2492
17	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels Essay #3 Assignment	ix-xxii, 2-72
19	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels	75-104
21	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels	105-137 xxix-xxxiii	Response #3 Presentation
24	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels	141-203
26	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels	207-246
28	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels Essay #4 Assignment	247-277 xxiii-xxix xxxiii-xliii
31	Swift, Gulliver’s Travels Johnson, “The Vanity of Human Wishes,” The Rambler	2719-30 2732-40
Nov. 2	The Rambler, A Review of Soame Jenyns’ A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil, Idler Essays, Preface to A Dictionary of the English Language	2741-74	Essay #3
4	The Rambler, A Review of Soame Jenyns’ A Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil, Idler Essays, Preface to A Dictionary of the English Language Response #4 and Presentation Assignment
7	Johnson, Rasselas	ix-xxii, 1-61
9	Johnson, Rasselas	61-100	Presentation Response #4
11	Johnson, Rasselas	100-23
14	Mind and God	2656-87
16	Thomson, from “Winter. A Poem,” from “The Seasons,” “Autumn”	2687-96
18	“‘The Seasons’ and its Time” Hogarth, “A Rake’s Progress”	2697-2707 2646-55	Essay #4
21	Richardson, Clarissa Response #5 and Presentation Assignment	Video/Reading tba
28	Richardson, Clarissa	Video/Reading tba
30	Richardson, Clarissa	Video/Reading tba
Dec. 2	Richardson, Clarissa	Video/Reading tba	Response #5 Presentation
5	Richardson, Clarissa	Video/Reading tba
7	Richardson, Clarissa	Video/Reading tba