For weariness of thee
Nor in hope the world can show
A fitter love for me;
But since that I
Must die at last, tis best
To use myself in jest
Thus by feigned deaths to die.
--John Donne (1572-1631)
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TTh
Spring 2001 056 University Hall Class distribution list: eng41001@wright.edu |
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Sweetest love, I do not go
For weariness of thee Nor in hope the world can show A fitter love for me; But since that I Must die at last, tis best To use myself in jest Thus by feigned deaths to die. --John Donne (1572-1631) |
Purpose of the course: We will read extensively in seventeenth-century poetry (and to some extent in seventeenth-century prose) in order to become familiar with some of the varied poetry of the "short seventeenth century," roughly the period from the death of Queen Elizabeth (1603) to the Restoration of King Charles II (1660). Following the "golden age" of Elizabethan literature, an age dominated by writers like Shakespeare, Spenser, and Sidney, early writers of the seventeenth-century sometimes seem to be rebels against conventional poetry, against conventional ideas of beauty, and even against good taste. In this sense, they are prophets: the entire period was to be one of enormous change--social revolution, religious upheaval, intellectual crisis, and cultural disruption. For a short time in English history, rebellion became almost the norm. And the writers of this period used their literature as one of the primary tools for understanding themselves and the world in which they were placed.
How classes will be run: I will use some lecture (formal and informal) to introduce information and historical contexts for the literature. However, I prefer to spend as much class time as possible discussing the literature in class. Thus, the burden will be upon every member of the class to read the assignment for each class and to come to class prepared to discuss the readings. I do not plan to give reading quizzes or other similar monitoring assignments, but if it becomes clear that class members are not keeping up with the reading, I reserve the right to add such assignments to the requirements specified below. Since classes that use discussion depend on the regular attendance of every member of the class, there is an attendance policy in this class. It is specified under "requirements."
A word about poetry in this period: The greatest poetry of the seventeenth century, like all great poetry, is great art--and all great art is to an extent mysterious. It continues to affect us, even haunt us, when we have forgotten what it said. It is much more than the sum of its parts, including its paraphrasable meaning.
But when we read poetry from the Renaissance and seventeenth century, we should also remember that writers of the time discussed their own work using the technical terminology of rhetoric, the art of oratory and argument developed by the ancient Greeks and Romans and THE central subject taught in education from Plato to Mark Twain. As you read this literature, try to remember that the people who wrote it were used to writing arguments, and that they thought of their poems as examples of argument (in the broadest sense). This habit of mind and thought affects nearly all their poems. Thus, a "love poem" from this period is likely to be an argument about love. A poem about a country estate will contrast the "artificial" house and the "natural" countryside that surrounds it. A poem about a beautiful woman's dress may attack Puritans. Even a simple "invitation to dinner" will debate true vs. false friendship, hospitality, generosity, and virtue. The more you can keep this central principle in mind as you read this poetry, the better prepared you will be to encounter its intellectual solidity and complexity.
"To write on their plan, it was at least
necessary to read and think."
--Dr. Samuel Johnson, "Life of Cowley"
Finally, be warned that though the class is entitled "Seventeenth-Century Poetry," there is a fair amount of prose included in the reading for two primary reasons. First, the best seventeenth-century prose is extremely "poetic." And second, much of the poetry of the period is influenced by the prose. However, we will barely scratch the surface of the prose of the period. Most of the focus will be on poetry.
Texts: Alan Rudrum, Joseph Black, Holly Faith Nelson, eds. The Broadview Anthology of Seventeenth-Century Verse and Prose. Peterborough, ON: Broadview, 2000.
Joseph Gibaldi. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: MLA, 1999.
All in-class readings of seventeenth-century literature will come from the Rudrum text or from handouts. Page references below are to the Rudrum text. Additional materials will be placed on reserve. Follow the MLA Handbook in preparing and formatting all formal written work.
Class Schedule:
3/27 Introduction to course; distribution of syllabus; discussion of requirements; initial discussion of literature
3/29 Donne, Poems (102-128); Bacon, "Idols" (49-57)
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4/3 Donne, Poems (continued); Dryden/Johnson, "The Metaphysical Poets" (on reserve)
4/5 Donne, Poems (concluded); T. S. Eliot, "The Metaphysical Poets" (on reserve)
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4/10 Jonson, Poems (146-163); Castiglione, "Sprezzatura" (available online)
4/12 Jonson, Poems (concluded) (Choose a subject for your brief life)
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4/17 Poets on poets: Jonson on Donne; Milton on Shakespeare (handouts);Jonson on Shakespeare (161); Herrick on Jonson (319); King on Donne (356); Carew on Jonson and Donne (385); Randolph on Jonson (459); Cowley on Crashaw (774); Marvell on Milton (870); "Philo-Philippa" on Philips (1017)
4/19 Emblems and emblem books: Quarles (343-347); handouts MIDTERM EXAM DUE
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4/24 Divine poems (and prose): Donne (122-145); Herbert (363-379);
4/26 Herbert (continued)
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5/1 Vaughan (872-885); Browne, "Urne-Burial" (489-497) (Brief Life Sources Due)
5/3 Crashaw (654-663); Milton, "Nativity Ode" (503-510), sonnets (520-524)
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5/8 Cavalier poets: Herrick (309-323)
5/10 Carew (380-389); Waller (498-502); Lovelace (764-769) PAPER DUE
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5/15 Writings by women: Lanyer (76-96); Countess of Lincoln (183-187); Wroth (230-238); Davies (273-278); Clifford (297-308)
5/17 Speght (397-406); Bradstreet (639-653); Cavendish (886-900); Osborne (937-952); Philips (1008-1016)
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5/22 Houses, places, manners: Jonson "To Penshurst" (150-152); Lanyer, "The Description of Cooke-ham" (93-96); Denham, "Cooper's Hill" (748-754); Marvell "Upon Appleton House" (start this now--841-855)
5/24 Characters, essays, lives: Bacon, "Of Truth" (25-26) "The Overburian Character" (218-221); Earle (443-445); Felltham (446-454); Clarendon "Character of Laud" (609-617); Aubrey (923-936); Wood (1021-1028)
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5/29 Marvell (829-871)
5/31 Marvell (concluded) FOURTH-HOUR PROJECT (BRIEF LIFE) DUE
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6/5 FINAL EXAMINATION: TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1:00-3:00 P.M.
Requirements (410): This is a "writing-intensive" course in the English major. As a result, all assignments will be writing-related. Students who have not had ENG 250 and 251 (formal prerequisites for this course) OR who have not had significant writing experience in an upper-level college English class are encouraged to select another class.
Although I have not specifically listed "Attendance" among the requirements for this course, it can count in a negative way. This TTh class meets only 20 times during this quarteróif you miss only two classes, you miss 10% of the course. Therefore, I will enforce the following policy on attendance:
Academic honesty is likewise essential to the fair and successful conduct of class, and dishonesty will be punished. Dishonesty includes various kinds of cheating, "plagiarism" (defined as the use of the words or ideas of another as if they were your own), and copying the work of another student in a test. Penalties for academic dishonesty can be severe; in most cases the work will receive a grade of zero.
INSTRUCTOR
Henry Limouze
Email: henry.limouze@wright.edu
Office 126 Allyn
Hours Mondays and Fridays 12-2
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-4 and by appointment
Phone 775-2093 (my desk); 775-3136 (office)
Electronic Discussion Requirement I have created an electronic discussion group for this class. To use it, you must have an email address (though not necessarily a WSU email address) and be able to send and receive email. Initially, the discussion group is set up with your WSU email address (you have one, whether you know it or not). All messages sent to the distribution list will go to all members of the class. If you would prefer to use another email address instead of or along with your WSU address, you need to let me know. I will add that new address to the list. If you want to use your WSU email account and need assistance or instructions, please see the CATS help desk in the library basement (775-4827).
The distribution list address is <eng41001@wright.edu>. Any message you send to this address will automatically be distributed to everyone in the class and to me.
Use the discussion group to converse with your classmates about the reading and discussion, to respond to my questions, to note relationships among readings, to raise your own questions or concerns, to argue points we can't always get to in class, or to alert the rest of us to an interesting find in your outside reading. From time to time I will post some questions on the readings; feel free to respond to any of my questions. Or quote a passage from one of the week's readings and frame your own discussion around it.
In order to receive a grade of C for discussion group
participation you will need to make FOUR substantive postings, either
raising and following up on an issue for discussion or responding in depth
to an ongoing discussion. A grade of B requires SIX substantive postings,
while a grade of A requires EIGHT substantive postings. Do not put
your participation off until the end of the quarter. I will count no more
than two entries in each of the final three weeks of the course,
so if you want an A for the discussion group section of the course, you
will need to post at least two substantive messages during weeks one through
seven. Start early and post often!
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Give me a look, give me a face
That makes simplicity a grace; Robes loosely flowing, hair as free; Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art: They strike mine eyes, but not my heart. Ben Jonson (1572-1637) |
Fourth-Hour Research Assignment Write a "brief life" of a seventeenth-century person
Description: The "brief life" or short biographical sketch was a form pioneered in the seventeenth century by John Aubrey, Thomas Fuller, and Anthony a Wood (listed below). Your assignment does not need to be modeled on their works, although you may take some inspiration from them. However, your "life" should, like many of theirs, contain a short biography of your subject, a "character" of your subject (usually a description of the personality, habits, mannerisms, etc.), and a discussion of the achievements which make him/her noteworthy.
Contents: Your entire paper should be about eight pages long, including a bibliograph (following MLA format). The "life" itself (6-7 pages) should give parenthetical references to each of your sources. Your bibliography should include at least four works you have consulted in preparing your "life." If possible, at least one of these must be a "primary" source, i.e. a biography or a "character" or an excerpt from a diary, a history, a memoir, or letters written in the seventeenth century. (ENG 610: total length about 10 pages; at least seven works, two or three of which should be primary sources.) YOU MUST ATTACH PHOTOCOPIES OF ALL SOURCE MATERIALS USED.
Subjects: You may choose any of the authors we are reading this quarter. Or you may instead choose a person from the list below. Some have been the subjects of extensive biographical work, and you will have no trouble gathering plenty of material. Others will require more subtle and original research.
Additional list: William Laud (Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I); King James I; King Charles I; King Charles II; Oliver Cromwell; Sir Francis Bacon; George Villiers, first Duke of Buckingham (1592-1628); Thomas Hobbes; Sir William Temple; Anne Finch, Lady Conway; Henry More; John Evelyn; Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. You may write on someone not on this list, but be sure to ask.
Approach: You may want to make the life expository and factual, or you may want to make it more creative; above all, try to make it interesting!
Resources: The following list is not exhaustive, but will point you to some available sources. Be sure to consult the bibliographies in our texts for further information.
Primary Sources--all are on reserve or in the reference section (some are excerpted in the Rudrum text)
John Aubrey, Brief Lives. Aubrey was a seventeenth-century antiquarian who did a lot of asking around; some of his lives are classic. A few are long; most are very short.
Thomas Fuller, The Worthies of England. Less interesting but more systematic than Aubrey. Our library has only an abridged version.
Izaak Walton, Lives. Walton's lives are much longer than Aubrey's but are classics of prose andvaluable documents. Walton knew Donne and Herbert personally.
Anthony a Wood, Athenae Oxonienses. A massive work which tried to give a complete history of Oxford University and a biography of every one of its graduates. This is much harder to use than any book above, but it includes short biographies of many people (some of them based on Aubrey's research).
Characters of the Seventeenth Century, ed. David Nichol Smith. This is a modern anthology ofshort character sketches written in the seventeenth century by and about many interesting people. A few are taken from Fuller and Aubrey, but most come from memoirs and manuscripts not otherwise available to us.
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, A History of the Rebellion--a volume of selections is all ourlibrary has. This history written by an astute and cynical observer of his own time has important sketches of many individuals.
John Evelyn, Diary.
Anne Finch, Lady Conway, The Conway Letters, ed. M. Nicolson. A modern edition of the letters written by a learned and brilliant woman, mostly to the philosopher Henry More.
Dorothy Osborne, The Letters of Dorothy Osborne to William Temple, ed. G. C. Moore Smith. The most famous love affair of the age represented (in part) by fascinating, gossipy and brilliant letters.
Secondary Sources
The Dictionary of National Biography (DNB)--in the reference section of the library. This massive work gives a short biography of nearly every important person in English history. Not completely reliable, but a good starting point.
C. P. Hill, Who's Who in Stuart Britain (1988)--on reserve.
Edwin Riddell, Lives of the Stuart Age (1976)--on reserve.
Other Sources Most of the people about whom you might write have been the subject of a modern biography, many (like Donne, Cromwell, Charles II) of more than one biography. Twayne's English Author Series publishes studies of minor writers (e.g. Waller or Lovelace) which will be partly biographical. Modern histories of the period will also include elements of biography and (usually) helpful bibliography. The adventurous among you may want to try to track down other works, for example Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, Autobiography (primary), Gilbert Burnet, A History of His Own Time (primary), George Ballard, Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain (1752, but containing much valuable antiquarian information), Wallace Notestein, Four Worthies (1956), and Antonia Fraser, The Weaker Vessel (1984), a valuable history of seventeenth-century women.
SOME RESEARCH LINKS ON SEVENTEENTH CENTURY LITERATURE (in progress)
URL for this page: Dept/ENG/limouze/41017thpoetry.htm