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ELIT 304 Eighteenth Century English Prose and Poetry
Full Course Title:
Eighteenth Century English Prose and Poetry
Course Code:
ELIT 304
Course Level/BiH cycle:
1st Cycle (Bachelor of Art)
ECTS credit value:
6
Student work-load:
Reading assignments, Lecture Attendance, Written Exams, Essays
Length:
One semester
Faculty/School/Department: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, English Language and Literature
Course leader:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Barbara Brown
Contact details:
Office: F2.20 Office hours: Email: bbrown@ius.edu.ba
Site:
IUS Main Campus
Host SP:
English Language and Literature
Course status:
Core Course
Pre-requisites:
ELIT 101 Introduction to Literature
Access restrictions:
None
Assessment:
assignments, written exams, group projects, essays, class presentations
Date validated:
February, 2011
Course aims:
The aims of this module are:

To broadly define the scope and nature of English literature from the late Restoration to the
age of neoclassicism, with a focus on the poetry and prose of this time in English literary
history.

To explain the relevant historical and socio-economic forces within this period in English
history and show how they can help in the interpretation of its poetry and prose works.

Provide the literary terminology and, where appropriate, the vocabulary and rhetorical
devices necessary for understanding a work of poetry and prose from this historical period.

Emphasize the philosophical and cultural debates in England in this time, and show how they
influenced the rise of the novel and the evolution of literary criticism in England.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

Identify a work of prose or poetry from the 18th century and connect it to other forms of
literature or artistic expression, or to a particular cultural phenomenon or historical event
within that same time period.

Form an educated opinion on a particular work of prose or poetry and be able to discuss that
opinion in a verbal or written format.

Write a critical essay on a work of English prose or poetry from the 18th century.

Develop a sensitivity to the rhetorical devices, literary conventions and style when reading a
literary text from 18th century England, and explain how historical circumstances, authorship
or intended audience can shape our understanding of a literary text.
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Indicative syllabus content:
This course provides an in-depth analysis of English prose and poetry during the English
Renaissance. Students will receive a historical overview of the social and cultural turning points
that took place in England from the end of the 17th century until the height of the neoclassical
age. This will serve as a background to understanding the major developments in English
literature and language at the time, including the rise of the novel, the spread of mass publishing
and the evolution of criticism. The characteristics, literary themes and conventions of this period
will be examined and related to English traditions, notions of English identity, ideas of history
and of reason, and various forms of cultural production. Students will read, analyze, and develop
an informed critical interpretation of the prominent works of prose and poetry in this age.
Weekly lectures will be focused on the works of major English writers, such as Johanthan Swift,
Alexander Pope, Samuel Johnson and Mary Wollstonecraft among others.
Learning delivery:
Weekly lectures, presentation and classroom discussions (3 hours per week).
Assessment Rationale:
Assessment within this module is designed to have the students recognise properly the course content
which they will be learning during the semester. The assessment of the students’ overall success
during the semester and at the end of the semester includes reading and writing assignments,
classroom discussions, group activities, midterm and final exams.
Assessment Weighting:
10% attendance, participation, classroom discussions, 20 % Midterm exam, 40 % essays, and 30
% Final exam.
Essential Reading:




Abrams, M. H. and Others, eds., The Norton Anthology of English Literature, vol. 1
Martin Price, Frank Kermode, John Hollander, The Oxford Anthology of English Literature: The Restoration and the
Eighteenth Century.
Samuel Johnson, edited by Donald Greene. Samuel Johnson: The Major Works. Oxford University Press (2009)
David Fairer, Christine Gerrard, Editors. Eighteenth-Century Poetry: An Annotated Anthology. Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition
(2009)
Important notes:
Attendance policy:
Absence from lectures and tutorials shall not exceed 30%. Students who exceed the limits without a medical or
emergency excuse acceptable to and approved by the Dean of the relevant faculty shall not be allowed to take the
final examination and shall receive a mark of zero for the course. If the excuse is approved by the Dean, the student
shall be considered to have withdrawn from the course.
Policy Statement on Class Participation
Students are expected to participate in class with respect and enthusiasm. Please participate in Discussion Sessions
and Peer Review Sessions eagerly in order to get the most out of them. One great way to ensure full participation
consideration is to try to contribute to class at least once per class meeting. Please do not begin to pack your
backpacks until I have dismissed class. Often, instructions are given at the end of the class hour, and it’s best to
write down this information in your notebook. Students who use laptop computers in class may do so only if the
laptop is useful to the discussion. Instant messaging and playing games will not be tolerated. Cell phones should
NOT ring in class. If you must answer a phone call during class, please inform the instructor at the beginning of the
hour. Please do not text message during class for any reason.
Policy on Late or Missed Assignments
All assignments will be due at the beginning of class. No late assignments will be accepted or given credit. NOTE:
Delivering assignments to me personally is the ONLY way to ensure that they are received on time. Quizzes, in-class
free writes, and in-class writing prompts cannot be made up.
Revision Policy
I do not allow revisions of the final draft of essays that have been submitted for grading/evaluation in this course.
Please make sure that you plan your work, and work your plan. This means that you budget your time so that you
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make certain that your essays are prepared properly for submission to the instructor on the due dates given in the
Class Schedule.
Schedule of Lectures
Week One
Welcome to the course! Introduction, Syllabus, Reading List, etc.
Reading: John Dryden, All For Love.
http://www.english.gsu.edu/~mbrown/Texts/Misc/All_for_love.pdf
Lecture: The 18th Century
Week Two
Reading: John Dryden, All For Love.
http://www.english.gsu.edu/~mbrown/Texts/Misc/All_for_love.pdf
Lecture: John Dreyden
Class Discussion: The 18th Century
Week Three
Reading: Jonathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal”
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/872/modest.p
df
Lecture: Jonathan Swift
Class Discussion: Social Concerns of the 18th Century
Week Four
Reading: William Congreve, The Way of the World. An MS Word version of
this text will be sent to students via email by Dr. Brown.
Lecture: William Congreve
Class Discussion: Restoration Comedy
Week Five
Reading: Samuel Johnson, Poems
http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/samuel_johnson_2004_9.pdf
Lecture: Samuel Johnson
Class Discussion: The Importance of Dr. Johnson
Week Six
Midterm Examination
Week Seven
Reading: Aphra Behn, Oroonoko
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/703/oroonoko
.pdf?sequence=1
Lecture: Aphra Behn
Class Discussion: The First Female Professional Writer
Week Eight
Reading: Aphra Behn, Oroonoko
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/703/oroonoko
.pdf?sequence=1
Lecture: Aphra Behn
Class Discussion: The First Female Professional Writer
Week Nine
Reading: George Farquhar, The Beaux’ Strategem. An MS Word version of
this text will be sent to students via email by Dr. Brown.
Lecture: George Farquhar
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Class Discussion: Romantic Comedy/Comedy of Manners
Week Ten
Reading: John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/733/beggarso
pera.pdf?sequence=1
Lecture: John Gay
Class Discussion: High and Low Comedy
Week Eleven
Reading: John Gay, The Beggar’s Opera
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/733/beggarso
pera.pdf?sequence=1
Lecture: John Gay
Class Discussion: High and Low Comedy
Week Twelve
Reading: Pierre Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville
http://files.libertyfund.org/files/1562/Beaumarchais_0897_EBk_v6.0.pdf
Class Activity: Students must bring a hard copy of the play to class with
them. Roles will be assigned randomly and the play will be read in class.
Students who do not bring the text will be asked to leave.
Week Thirteen
Reading: Pierre Beaumarchais, The Marriage of Figaro
http://files.libertyfund.org/files/1563/Beaumarchais_0896_EBk_v6.0.pdf
Class Activity: Students must bring a hard copy of the play to class with
them. Roles will be assigned randomly and the play will be read in class.
Students who do not bring the text will be asked to leave.
Week Fourteen
Conclude Beaumarchais plays.
Week Fifteen
Final Examination Review
The final examination for ELIT 304 will be on ________________ at ________________ in
Room____________.
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