BOOKS: We will be using 1) The Longman Anthology of British Literature Compact Edition: The Middle Ages, etc. (NY: Longman, 2000); 2) The Bedford Glossary of Literary Terms. They are both available at Atticus Book in Amherst (8 Main St)--enough of the poems and readings are available through the web and in other collections that you can use--but with some discrepancies and difficulties--without buying Longman, but not Bedford.

STRUCTURE AND OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this course are three: 1) to give you a firm grounding in primary texts, 2) to give you a functional literary vocabulary, and 3) to make you reasonably proficient in the application of critical tools.

We will be begin by discussing larger, critical issues in order to set the stage for interrogating the readings. For example, why do we read stories, why do we tell them, and what are the limits of fiction in the narratives of our eveyday experience? These questions and others will be constantly on our minds as we think about the readings. (I don't have the answers to these questions, so the success of our class discussions will depend on a common effort.) Then, we will read and discuss some of the more familiar works beginning with Anglo-Saxon poetry and ending with the Early Modern period. Our readings will include poems and essays. (Some material is on reserve at the library: you are heartily encouraged to read it.)

You will be tested on your knowledge of primary texts, your familiarity with literary terminology, and your ability to apply sufficiently well appropriate critical tools. This entails you keeping careful notes on plot, characters, and themes of each reading; asking questions if you don't understand; and taking advantage of the vast number of resources available to you.

You are also expected to complete your readings prior to each class--the readings average about 15 pages per class. This should take you about two to three hours. If you're not going to do the reading, then this class will be a waste of your time, and your success in it will be a long shot.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendence is very strongly encouraged, and university guidelines for absence will be strictly enforced. Check your handbook. My lectures are copyrighted material. Any use of my lectures in written, electronic, or recorded form without my prior consent is strictly illegal.

ASSIGNMENTS:

• YOUR PAPER MUST BE HANDED IN AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON THE DATE DUE. LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
• ALL MISSED ASSIGNMENTS GET AN "F." If you foresee being absent, please let me know well beforehand.
• PLAGIARISM GETS AN "F." This may be for the paper or for the course, at my discretion. The penalties for plagiarism are quite strict. Please check your student handbook and university guidelines for more on plagiarism. If you have any questions whatsoever about whether you are citing sources correclty, contact me.
• ALL PAPERS MUST BE TYPED OR WORD-PROCESSED. Not doing so reduces your grade by one letter-value (e.g., "C" down to "D").

GRADING: The breakdown of your grade is as follows:

Midterm 20%

For my requirements with respect to A, AB, C, etc., see the Resources section of this site, and follow the link to Papers and to Policies.
 

CONFERENCES: Each student is encouraged to meet with me at least once during the semester. I would like to hear about your reaction to the course, if you have any suggestions for improvement, if you are having difficulties, or if you need to discuss your quizzes or paper. Please let me know beforehand if you want to meet during my office hours. Otherwise, please make an appointment to meet with me at a time convenient to you and I will try to oblige.

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY: The study of literature is especially concerned with developing your abilities to make educated aesthetic and theoretical judgments with regard to various social, political, religious, economic, or philosophical contexts. This development is stunted if you circumvent your education through plagiarism. For more information, consult your handbook or the pages in this site devoted to plagiarism (see "Resources").

 

NOTE 1: Please make and keep a copy of all your assignments. That copy may be a disc copy. In case any difficulties arise with respect to misplaced assignments or with respect to discrepancies between your records and my own, I will accept the evidence of your computer system's dating function. For your own peace of mind, I suggest that you lock any document on the day it is due. That will prevent your system from associating your document with a later date.

NOTE 2: The schedule of Part II is subject to change. It is not to be construed as a substitute for your attendance or as a catalogue of all the information for which you are responsible. All changes will be announced within a reasonable lead time. This syllabus constitutes a binding contract between the student and the professor. If you do not agree with any of the provisions set herein or if you foresee disagreeing with any of the provisions which may be added during the course of the term, then you are free to drop this class within the time allotted by UMass.

NOTE 3:All material pertaining to this course--namely handouts, quizzes, exams, tests, maps, graphs, charts, printed matter, recorded matter, electronic matter including but not limited to this syllabus and associated electronic documents, films, video clips, conversations, office consultations, classroom responses, lectures, asides, answers to classroom queries, and related utterances--is copyrighted material and is subject to international and US laws of copyright. Enrollment in this course constitutes tacit acceptance of this agreement and of the copyright claims made therein. Any breach of this agreement or use of copyrighted material by any member of the university or the public without prior consent will be met with legal action.