The Eighteenth Century

First day of class: discussion of course outline, assignments and policies, and Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea's poem "Adam Pos'd"

Note: here and throughout this syllabus, the first (less indented) list of readings is required, while the second (more indented) list of readings is supplemental and optional. Here, for example, the first four entries are required reading, while the next three are optional.

• "The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century" (anthology 2121)

• Alexander Pope, "Essay on Criticism," lines 337-383 (1709/1711, anthology 2601)

• Finch, "On Myself" (1713)

• Connections, Heroic Couplets
  • To see an entertaining poetical argument between Pope and Finch, check out this page by Ellen Moody on Pope's "Impromptu" (1711/1714) and Finch's "The Answer" (1712)

  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Pope

  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Finch

Linking passage exercise: group 1

Also, please go to the class discussion board and write a solid paragraph or two introducing yourself to the class. Aside from the obvious introductory function of this assignment, it also ensures that we deal with any technical problems before the responses begin.

• Jonathan Swift, "The Lady's Dressing Room" (1732, anthology 2507) and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, "The Reasons That Induced Dr. S. to Write a Poem Called The Lady's Dressing Room" (1734, anthology 2510)
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Swift (as poet)

  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Montagu (as poet)

Seminar A meets in the regular classroom, with group 1 doing responses. Seminar B (groups 4, 5, and 6) does responses and meets in small groups, led by group member #1. As always, in the small groups, the group leader does not write a response in advance but instead writes the group summary afterwards.

• Samuel Richardson, Pamela, Or, Virtue Rewarded (1740), 1-98
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Richardson

  • A Michigan student project: Illustration History of Samuel Richardson's Pamela

Linking passage exercise: group 2

• Richardson, Pamela, 98-219

Linking passage exercise: group 3

• Richardson, Pamela, 221-339

Discussion day: Seminar B meets in the regular classroom, with group 4 doing responses. Seminar A (groups 1, 2, and 3) does responses and meets in small groups, led by group member #1.

• Richardson, Pamela, 339-503

Linking passage exercise: group 4

• Samuel Johnson, anthology selections from The Rambler (anthology 2871), Preface to and entries from A Dictionary of the English Language (1755, anthology 2895), and anthology selections from The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia (1759, anthology 2910)
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Johnson (as prose writer)

  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Johnson (as poet)

  • Jack Lynch's page on Johnson

Linking passage exercise: group 5

• Johnson, anthology selections from the Preface to The Plays of William Shakespeare (1765, anthology 2919)

Seminar A meets in the regular classroom, with group 2 doing responses. Seminar B (groups 4, 5, and 6) does responses and meets in small groups, led by group member #2.

PAPER PROSPECTUS DUE IN CLASS
FOR STUDENTS WRITING PAPERS;
PAPER DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

• Richard Brinsley Sheridan, A School for Scandal (performed 1777)
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Sheridan

Linking passage exercise: group 6

• Thomas Gray, "Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West" (1742/1775, anthology 2850) and "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" (1751), anthology 2854)
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography: Gray

Linking passage exercise: group 1

EXAM IN CLASS
FOR STUDENTS TAKING THE EXAM OPTION