English 327

The British Novel

Spring 2006

Tuesday Thursday 12-115

Dr. Jeffrey W. Timmons

Graybeal Hall G6

jtimmons@vwc.edu

www.vwc.edu/~jtimmons

757.455. 3390

Office Hours: Monday and T, 2-430pm, and by appt.

 

Course Description: English 327 is a study of the British novel that traces its emergence in the eighteenth century to the middle of the nineteenth century.  Class discussion, lectures, presentations and essays focus on several major questions: what is a novel?  What is a British novel? What are its defining characteristics, examples and history?  What has been said about the novel?  Primarily, however, this is a reading, talking, and writing class that explores some of the most important novels in British literary history: Richardson’s Pamela (1740), Fielding’s Joseph Andrews (1742), Sterne’s Tristram Shandy (1759-1767), Austen’s Emma (1816), and Brontė’s Jane Eyre (1848).

 

Texts: All texts should be available in the campus bookstore.  Each student is expected to have a copy of every text, which should also be brought to every class, as specified in the reading schedule below.

Jane Austen.  Emma.  Ed. Stephen M. Parrish.  W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 2000.

Charlotte Brontė.  Jane Eyre.  Ed. Richard J. Dunn.  W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 2001.

Henry Fielding.  Joseph Andrews with Shamela and Related Writings.  Ed. Homer Goldberg.  W.W. Norton &               Company: New York, 1987.

Samuel Richardson.  Pamela.  Eds. Thomas Keymer and Alice Wakely.  Oxford University Press: New York,                    2001.

Laurence Sterne.  Tristram Shandy.  Ed. Howard Anderson.  W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 1980.

 

Course Requirements:    

Essays/Writing                         750pts             

            Short Writing(s)            @50pts           

            2 Short Essays              @ 300pts

            1 Long Essay                @ 300pts

            1 Final Exam Essay       @ 100pts

Presentations                                        100pts

Participation/Contributions                    50pts

Attendance                                           50pts

Quizzes                                                50pts

 

Revision: Since this is a Writing course, you are encouraged to revise your essays for higher grades.  Late essays are also ineligible for revision.  See Late Work policy.

 

Attendance: You cannot miss more than five (5) classes, for any reason, and pass this course.  Your attendance grade is determined by the total number of classes missed: B = 1, C  = 2, D  =  4, F = 5.  Chronic lateness and/or early departures, as well as not having the relevant text, can constitute absences.  The student is responsible for any material and/or assignments missed during an absence.  Perfect attendance for the semester results in extra credit.

 

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. 

 

Grading Scale for Final Grades: A = 950 pts; 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. 

 

Late Work/On Time:  All assignments are due at the beginning of class, according the schedule below.  Assignments submitted late suffer stiff penalties, and they are not guaranteed to be read or graded, nor do they qualify for revisions.  Unless there are serious, legitimate, and verifiable reasons why an assignment is late, you are always expected to have assignments completed on time.  

 

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. 

 

Completion: All assignments must be completed to pass this course.

 

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

 

Honor Code/Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: You are also expected to be familiar with and abide by the VWC Honor Code found in the Student Handbook and Catalog. Any sort of academic dishonesty, especially plagiarism, can constitute grounds for failing this course.

 

Accommodations: Any student needing accommodations should speak with Fayne Pearson in the Learning Resource Center.  Accommodations must be arranged in advance.

 

January

26        Introduction

            Discuss Essay #1 and #2

            Origins of the Novel and its Literary History in Britain

            Richardson, Pamela

 

31        Richardson, Pamela: 3-249

            Short Writing Assignent #1 Due

February

2          Richardson, Pamela:

           

7          Richardson, Pamela: 249-503

9          Richardson, Pamela

           

 

14        Richardson, Pamela

            Fielding, Shamela: 272-306

            Fielding, Joseph Andrews: 3-144

16        Fielding, Joseph Andrews

           

21        Fielding, Joseph Andrews: 145-269

            Essay #1 Due

23        Fielding, Joseph Andrews

 

28        Austen, Emma: 1-204

March

2          Austen, Emma:

            Discuss Essay #3

 

7          Austen, Emma: 205-319

9          Austen, Emma

            Essay #2 Due

 

14        Brontė, Jane Eyre: 5-137

16        Brontė, Jane Eyre

 

28        Brontė, Jane Eyre: 138-288

30        Brontė, Jane Eyre       

 

April

4          Brontė, Jane Eyre: 288-385

6          Brontė, Jane Eyre

            Discuss Essay #4

 

11        Sterne, Tristram Shandy: 1-175

13        Sterne, Tristram Shandy         

 

18        Sterne, Tristram Shandy:  177-286

20        Sterne, Tristram Shandy

            Essay #3 Due

 

25        Sterne, Tristram Shandy: 287-379

27        Sterne, Tristram Shandy

           

May

2          Sterne, Tristram Shandy: 380-457

            Evaluations

6          Final Exam/Essay: Saturday, 1200noon.