Survey of British Literature from the Beginnings to the Neo-Classical Period
English 2322 ~ Prof. L. Arzola ~ Spring 2014 ~ #79105 - DE ~ Assignment and Reading Guide
Instructor's name: Prof. L. Arzola Office hours/phone: M/W 11-1130 Rm. 1027 Eastside Campus or Tuesday evenings online, & by appt., by phone and in
person// Tel. 713-718-7037 (EAGLE email is the best way to reach me.) US Mail: Prof. L. Arzola/ English Dept./ 6815 Rustic/Houston TX 77087 (Eastside Campus)
Text: 1. Text: Abrams, M. H., ed., The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. 1, A,B,C. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2005, ISBN 978-0-393-92833-4
You can find the text used online at various websites. It is all right to use an earlier edition.
2. In addition you need a recent handbook which includes ample discussion of MLA . Be sure you are familiar with MLA format as it is REQUIRED for all formal
papers. If you are not familiar, let me know, and I will schedule a personal conference with you. Incorrectly formatted papers will be returned for revision.
You may order your books online at: www.hccs.bkstore.com.Textbooks for all distance education courses are housed at the Central bookstore. We do offer, free of
charge, transfer requests for students who wish to pick up their distance education textbooks at one of our 7 other locations that may be closer to them. All the
student needs to do is phone either Central, or the requested campus, and request that their books be transferred.
Your grade for this class is composed of the following:
Literary Term Paper (LTP) (Notes, Works Cited, Outline = 25% of grade)
Preliminary Poetry Analysis (PPA)
Completed Poetry Analysis (CPA)
Grades are based on the following
= 25%
= 12.5%
= 12.5%
A = Exceptionally fine work: superior in mechanics, style, and content.
B = Above average work, Superior in one or two of the following:mechanics,style,content.
C = Average quality work, Good, but not exceptional
Mid term
Final Exam
Journals (Ungraded Writing)
= 20%
= 20%
= 10%
D = Below average work, noticeably weak in mechanics, style and/or content.
F = Failing work, clearly deficient in mechanics, style, and/or content.
N.B. Evidence of plagiarism will be graded "0."
HCCS Crucial Days for Spring:
Jan. 12: Last Day for Drop/Add/Swap
Mar. 10-16:
Spring Break
Jan. 13: Class begins, Monday
Mar. 31, 4:30PM
Last Day for Student Withdrawals
Jan. 20: MLK Holiday
April 18-20
Spring Holiday
May 4:
Instruction Ends
Jan. 27: OE Date/ Sign in to class before this date.
May 2-5:
Final Exam online
Feb. 17: Presidents’ Day Holiday
Wed. May 7, Last Day to submit revised/late papers – 11:59pm
Feb. 28-Mar. 3: Midterm Exam online
Read and follow these directions. They pertain to every assignment you submit:
All papers are submitted online through Eagle. Students MUST keep copies of all submitted work in case the instructor does not receive
it. Store all papers until the end of the following long semester. Remember that computers break down. Keep backup copies of your work.//
All papers must be submitted as .doc, .docx or .rtf. My computer will not open documents saved as .wps or odt.
Submitting papers online means that page breaks and headers must be created using the computer not by spacing. As you begin the class,
take the time to go to Help within your word processor. Check the process for creating these elements in a paper: Headers in the header
screen, page breaks, Hanging Indents for the Works Cited in MLA format.
If you do not have MSWord try the following:
1. Drive.Google.com is a cloud server provided by Google. It allows for the creation of .doc documents.
2. Open Office (openoffice.org) is an open source word processing program; it can be used to save documents as .doc; however, sometimes
this type of document can be “glitchy” but not often.
3. The computer lab at SE College will help you upload temporary versions of MS Word for this class if you need it. Call 713-718-7263 for
more information.
IMPORTANT: All papers must be submitted as YourLastName + the assignment. For example: SmithLTPFinal means that Joan
Smith is submitting the final copy of her Research Paper. If you wish to include your first name, do it like this: SmithJoan-LTPRough not
JoanSmithLTPRough, which will not alphabetize properly. Papers not submitted as required will not be accepted or graded.
Do not use YOU or I in formal writing. Papers – other than journals -- using YOU or I or versions thereof will have significantly reduced grades.
Write your papers in third person plural nouns. For example, instead of saying, “When you go to the store . . . ,” say “When consumers go to
the store,” or “When people go to the store, they . . .” Instead of saying, “I think that the world is round,” say “The world is round.” We know the
second statement is your opinion because your name is on the assignment.
*HCC Course Withdrawal Policy The State of Texas has begun to impose penalties on students who drop courses excessively. For example, if you repeat
the same course more than twice, you have to pay extra tuition. Beginning in Fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering
freshmen to no more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree. //To help students avoid
having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor may “alert” you and counselors that you might fail
a class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with your professor or a counselor to learn about
what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve
your academic performance. //If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact a counselor or your professor ONE WEEK prior to withdrawing
(dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on your transcript. **Final withdrawal deadlines
vary each semester and/or depending on class length, please visit the online registration calendars, HCC schedule of classes and catalog, any HCC
 English 2322 - Survey of British Literature I - Syllabus - Arzola 
Page 1 of 14
Registration Office, or any HCC counselor to determine class withdrawal deadlines. Remember to allow a 24-hour response time when communicating
via email and/or telephone with a DE professor and/or counselor. Do not submit a request to discuss withdrawal options less than a week before
the deadline. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade that you are making in the class as your final grade. //DE counselors
may be reached by calling 713.718.5275, option #4 or decounseling@hccs.edu// On campus counselors at SE college may be reached at 713-718-7218.
Notes: You are required to read all the listed material and encouraged both to read ahead of assigned reading dates and to read other works by the same
author or other material from the same period.
A requirement of the course is to keep up with readings, and discussion is impossible in class without your cooperation. You get out of a class what you put
into it. Do not make not having read the material an excuse for not attending a particular session. Make your anthology available to you at all times, and
snatch as much time as you possibly can to read.
DE students must check in at least once a week. Failure to do so may result in an F for the course. Make sure you have contacted me if there is any
overriding reason for an extended absence.// In Class students are expected to be in class on time for every session. You are allowed a total of 6 hours of
absences per semester. After the 4th hour of absence, you should schedule a conference with your instructor to discuss your absences and the
consequences of further absences. Excessive absences may result in your withdrawal from the class. Make every effort to be on time. Excessive tardiness
can accumulate to the point of forcing your withdrawal as well.
Communication with your instructor is essential in all your courses. Please keep us informed of problems you are having either with the course itself or with
keeping up with assignments.
Questions are invited in this course. It is the opinion of your instructor that questions from students demonstrate both interest and knowledge. Feel free to
ask questions at any time.
Plagiarism: Be very careful with the work you turn in for this class. Any time you use someone else’s ideas or words you must give him credit. In order to be
able to be honest about your sources you must take notes carefully using quotation marks whenever you use the author’s exact words, writing down source
information with each note whether it is quoted or paraphrased. Papers which show plagiarism will receive a grade of zero; however, be aware that at times
plagiarism can result in an F for the course. In egregious cases the student may be expelled. Familiarize yourself with “plagiarism” and what it means. Ask
questions as necessary. Papers will be passed through www.turnitin.com in order to be sure students are not plagiarizing.
To plagiarize means to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source //intransitive
senses : to commit literary theft : present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source (Merriam Webster online dictionary). When
you copy and paste from the internet without giving credit to your source, you are plagiarizing. When you take ideas from someone else without giving her
credit, you are plagiarizing. If I discover you have done this, you will receive an F for your paper and may receive an F for the course.
All papers must be typed. Students should store/save all papers until the end of the following semester. In addition it is important that students keep hard
copies of all submitted papers as a backup.
Important Materials: Handbook or style sheet which shows MLA format. You are responsible for being able to use MLA format in your papers. If you are
unfamiliar with it, go see a tutor and learn how to use it.
Also a Microphone would be very convenient as we will be TALKING to each other via AudioChat in Blackboard.
Student Grievances: Students who wish to complain about any aspect of their education should first speak with their instructor. If the situation remains
unresolved, then the student has the right to file a student grievance with the dept. chair, Ms. Beverly Hixon, 713-718-7057. Forms can be picked up in the
office of the Dean of Instruction, 713-718-7066. These forms are first submitted to the Department Chair who will then consult with the student and other
parties involved in an effort to come to a reasonable resolution of the problem.
Read your Student Handbook paying particular attention to the section on Student Rights & Responsibilities. Within this section is a segment on Grievance
Procedure as well as one on Academic Dishonesty. It is important that you familiarize yourself with both your rights and responsibilities as a student. Student
Handbooks are available from the Office of the Registrar.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy The State of Texas imposes penalties on students who drop courses excessively. Students are limited to no more than SIX total
course withdrawals throughout their educational career at a Texas public college or university. // To help you avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, contact
your DE professor regarding your academic performance. You may also want to contact your DE counselor to learn about helpful HCC resources (e.g. online tutoring,
child care, financial aid, job placement, etc.). HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor will “alert” you and Distance Education (DE)
counselors that you might fail a class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. //In order to withdraw from your DE class, you MUST
first contact your DE professor, at least one week PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to receive a “W” on your transcript. After the withdrawal deadline has
passed, you will receive the grade that you would have earned. Zeros averaged in for required coursework not submitted will lower your semester average
significantly, most likely resulting in a failing grade of an “F”. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the class; however, your professor reserves the right
to withdraw you without your request due to excessive absences. If you do not feel comfortable contacting your professor to withdraw, you may contact a DE
counselor. However, please do not contact both a DE counselor and your DE professor to request a withdrawal; either one is sufficient.
FALL Final Withdrawal deadlines: REGULAR FALL COURSES: Mar. 31, 2014 at 4:30pm Please contact the HCC Registrar’s Office, Ms. Ruby Ward at
713.718.8508 to determine mini-term class withdrawal deadlines.
International Students Please contact the International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have additional questions about your visa status.
Students With Disabilities Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc) who needs to arrange reasonable
accommodations must contact the appropriate HCC Disability Support Service (DSS) Counselor at the beginning of each semester. Faculty is authorized to provide
only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office. // Students who are requesting special testing accommodations must first contact the
appropriate (most convenient) DSS office for assistance:
Disability Support Services Offices: System: 713.718.5165// Southeast: 713.718.7218. After student accommodation letters have been approved by the DSS
office and submitted to Counseling for processing, students will receive an email confirmation informing them of the Instructional Support Specialist assigned to their
professor.
Classroom Conduct All students in HCC courses are required to follow all HCC Policies & Procedures, the Student Code of Conduct, the Student Handbook, and
relevant sections of the Texas Education Code when interacting and communicating with faculty and fellow students.
* The instructor reserves the right to change various parameters of this syllabus at her or his discretion.*
Mission Statement: The purpose of the English department is to provide courses that transfer to four-year colleges; introduce students to literature from
diverse traditions; prepare students to write clear, communicative, well-organized, and detailed prose; and develop students reading, writing,
and analytical skills.
ENGL 1302 – Arzola
Page 2 of 8
The Writing Assignments
Handouts: Handouts for all papers, which give explanations and examples of completed papers, are available under Learning Modules. If you
have any problems opening these, let me know. I can send them to you via email.
Literary Term Paper = 25% , 1000+ words on King Lear. Topics in relation to King Lear must be approved by the instructor. A rough draft of this
paper will be due in week 11. This rough draft will be worth 25% of the total grade on the final paper. This paper and its precursors, which are part of
the final grade, are available under Assignments.
Poetry Paper = 25%, Write an analysis of a poem. Write 1000+ word analysis of a single poem’s structure and content. Poems must be from the list
I provide later here. If you want to work with a different poem, you MUST get previous approval from me; otherwise you risk NO credit for your work.
This paper is written in two parts: the Preliminary Poetry Assignment (PPA) & the Completed Poetry Assignment (CPA). Each is required; each is
worth 50% of the final grade. Information on both is available under Assignments.
Midterm (20%) , Written online. Be aware there is a two-hour time limit after which the computer will not allow you to submit your exam. The
Midterm will cover the first half of the course. There will be identifications of quotations from works we have studied. There will be one or two essay
questions in which you will synthesize various aspects of the readings. The Midterm is under Assessments.
Final Exam (20%), Written online. 2-hour time limit. There will be two essay questions over major aspects of the readings and a third question in
which you will analyze a poem. Only the second half of the course will be covered. The Final is under Assessments.
Journals = 10%, 10 Journals will be written. They will consist of your response to one of the works read for that class session. Journals will not be
graded, but I will write comments. They represent samples of students’ writing free from concern over form and structure. Journals should be 200+
words. Journals are submitted under Discussions.
Chats: We will have one or two chats at the beginning of the semester to answer your question. These chats are not required assignments.
Tutors: You can get free online tutoring help 24/7 at the Tutoring link at the very top of the class page in the blue bar. This will take you to
askonline.net, where you can register and get free tutoring. (Do not go directly to askonline as you will be charged.) You can also get free
tutoring help at an HCC campus near you. I am available online on Tuesdays in the evening from 630-830 for conferencing. Set this up ahead
of time via Eagle email. Whatever tutor you work with, be sure to give him or her a copy of the directions for the paper, so she can help you
more effectively.
 The Library Homepage: At the top of our class page there is a link for the Library, one for MLA and another for the literature database
available through our library. You will need proof of registration this semester to get an HCC library card.
 Research: Although you probably are used to using the internet for research, the quality of available sources is usually poor. A far
more acceptable source of articles is the library home page. Under the rubric, “Databases by Subject,” you will see several listings.
Among them the most useful for your RP is “Literature.” Whichever of these databases you access, you will find excellent articles
which will support your position on your RP topic.
 MLA Format: creating entries for the Works Cited (http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_s1-0011.html), creating
parenthetical references (http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_s1-0001.html), sample paper in MLA format
(http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_s1-0014.html) The sample paper does not have an outline or a title page.
For your LTP you need both. Remove the heading from the text page; then add a title page and an outline above the text.
 Formal Papers: All papers in this class (except Journals which are un-graded writing) are considered formal papers; this means that
you are not to use the words you, or I (or any of their variants such as your and my.) Do not use contractions either: can’t for cannot
or don’t for do not as examples. Use the written out form, cannot, instead. Use MLA format in all papers. Literary Analyses must
always be written in Present tense.
Creating Papers: Grammar and mechanics are extremely important and should be the LAST thing you worry about as you do your final
editing and revisions before turning in your work. If you worry too early about grammar, you will find that you get lost in the trees and forget the
general direction of the forest you are walking through. However, do take the time to check your work. Careful editing of your papers will result
in far better grades.
Quotations: Whenever you use the exact words of the original, you must use quotation marks. In addition you MUST use a Signal Phrase
which introduces the quotation and tells the reader what is coming giving any necessary information regarding the quotation. After the
quotation use a parenthetical reference, which gives source information, in MLA format. Either before or after the quotation, interpret it for the
reader, explain it in your own words making it clearer and giving it the spin you want the reader to have. All these elements are important for
making it easier for the reader to understand the quoted material. Never expect the reader to “get” a quotation’s meaning without the help you
give him with Signal Phrases, Parenthetical References and Interpretations.
Become a Reader: If students have trouble writing well, it is often because they are not familiar enough with the way words go together on the
written page. It is very different from speaking which has the advantage that conversationalists can ask each other questions. In writing you
must consider the questions the reader might ask and answer them with your text. This makes writing somewhat more difficult than speaking,
and it requires that writing be well organized and even repetitive or redundant, in order to help readers understand what is meant.
ENGL 1302 – Arzola
Page 3 of 8
Wk.
ENGL 2322 Course Calendar
Description of Assignments Work is due Sunday of the week assigned.
1
Jan. 1319
Description of the course. Intellectual background.
The Literary Term Paper. Primary and secondary sources. // Term paper assigned. Discussion of literary material.
Discussion of literary essays & the literary term paper. Critics. Elements of Fiction.
The Epic Poem: The Iliad and The Odyssey –Read handout under link on class page. D/n read the works themselves.
Start reading Othello (552) in preparation for writing the Literary Term Paper (LTP). Also find two literary articles on a similar theme in
Othello. Skim through the articles in preparation for reading the play; also review the handout on Approaches found later in the syllabus
and also in a link on the class page; establish an area of concentration for your LTP. Use the Databases by Subject/Literature found on the
Library Homepage above wk. 1 or in a library book. You may not use the internet as a source for any of our papers in this class.
2
Jan. 2026
Narrowed Topic due for LTP: Send this in under Discussions for Instructor Approval. Make sure you have reviewed the handout on
Approaches and decide on an Approach for your LTP.
Journal #1 - due
Read: Beowulf – Structure, background skim The Middle Ages - 1-21, Beowulf pp. 36-76, line 1650.
Finish reading Othello (552) for the first time. If you need a translation of the play in to modern English, try No Fear Shakespeare at
<http://nfs.sparknotes.com/othello/>. Be sure that quotations used in your paper are all from the original Shakespeare.
3
Jan. 27Feb. 2
Journal #2 due
Due:10 Quotations/Notes & Works Cited (in MLA format) page due for LTP (about 50% of your notes should be quotations from the work
itself. The rest should come from the two critical articles. Notes should be quotes, paraphrases or summaries. Each note should have a
parenthetical reference indicating source and page. See the section below on notes in the LTP handout.) Examples of notes are available
on the class page.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight [Parts 1-4] pp. 135-188
Structure - The bob & the wheel (136-7) (from the introductory material over SGGK)
Note the structure of each stanza, alliteration. Note the points regarding the celebration and descriptions of characters on which the
author focuses.
4
Feb. 3-9
Journal #3 due
The Canterbury Tales (188-193) Chaucer - Structure
"The Miller’s Prologue and Tale" (214-230).
Look online for a copy in modern English: http://www.librarius.com/canttran/mttrfs.htm (Focus on the left hand column.)
for useful background information: http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/miller.htm
Background on The General Prologue: http://icg.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/canttales/gp/
5
Feb. 1016
Journal #4 due
Outline for Literary Term Paper due – the outline does not need to be detailed. Roman numerals describing major elements are all that is
necessary.
Morte Darthur - Sir Thomas Malory (328-347)
Q. Elizabeth I Speech to the Troops at Tilbury (396)
6
Feb. 1723
Journal #5 due
Due Tutor Review of LTP: Take rough draft to a tutor. Revise, edit and submit completed paper next week.
Edmund Spenser – Background (399-404)
The Faerie Queene Book 2, Canto 12 “The Bower of Bliss” (463-474)
7
Feb. 24Mar. 2
Rough draft of LTP due ~ Submit evidence of tutor review. Use all comments to make revisions on final draft.
LTP Peer Review: Post your Almost Final LTP under Discussions. Submit Peer Review of ONE classmate’s paper.
Background on Shakespeare (535-540)
Othello - William Shakespeare Acts I-V (552-635).
Review Othello in preparation for Midterm.
 Mid-term exam Online Fri. 28 – Mar. 3, Fri.-Mon.
8
Mar. 3-9
Journals 1-5 due before Midterm. No late Journals 1-5 accepted after closing date on Midterm.
 Mid-term exam Online Fri. 28 – Mar. 3, Fri.-Mon.
Mar. 1016
<< Spring Break >>
9
Mar. 1723
 Literary Term Paper due Sunday this week .
Poetry Paper (PPA & CPA) assigned.
John Donne (666-668), “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” (679), “Death Be not Proud” (691) // George Herbert “The Altar” 732, “Easter
ENGL 1302 – Arzola
Page 4 of 8
Wk.
ENGL 2322 Course Calendar
Description of Assignments Work is due Sunday of the week assigned.
Wings” 733 // Richard Lovelace “To Lucasta, Going to the Wars” Shakespeare Sonnet 18 (541), Sonnet 29 (543), Sonnet 116 (549)
Journal #6 due
10
Poem Selection for PPA due. Carefully review the format for this paper, and follow it for submission.
Mar. 24- The Bible: Ch. 2 & 3 of Genesis (King James Version): http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/KjvGene.html
30
Paradise Lost – John Milton Intro - Books 1-3 (799-854). I have posted highlighted copies of these books on the class page, which will give
you a sense of the more important areas needing your focus. I encourage you to read as much as you can of this wonderful text.
Journal #7
11
Paradise Lost - John Milton Intro - Book 4-8 (854-886)
Mar. 31 - Journal #8 - on Paradise Lost
April 6
12
Preliminary Poetry Analysis (PPA) due this Sunday. You must have instructor’s review of the PPA in order to correctly write the CPA.
April 7-13 Journal #8 due on Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost - John Milton Book 9 – 10 (887-924). Skim Bks. 11-12 (924-929).
13
April 1420
PPA returned to you with instructor’s notes for revision and assembly into finished paper.
Andrew Marvell “To His Coy Mistress” 751
14
April 2127
Completed Poetry Analysis (CPA) due this Sunday. 
Prepare for Final Exam: Review Paradise Lost’s characterization of Satan and Eve. Prepare to write essay for final.
Journal #9 –due
15
Apr. 28May 4
Journal #10 due
All Journals 7-10 must be submitted before taking the final.
 Final Exam May 2-5, Fri. - Mon. 
16
May
5-11
 Final Exam May 2-5, Fri. - Mon. 
Any revised papers due before Wed. this week.
ENGL 1302 – Arzola
Page 5 of 8
ENGL 2322 Arzola
Literary Term Paper 25%
1000+ words (5 pages of text. Font Arial or Times Roman, size 12). You will write on the William Shakespeare’s Othello
gathering information, formulating opinions, structuring arguments, and presenting them in your essay. 20% of the final grade
will come from preliminary assignments (such as proposing a topic, preliminary Works Cited, Working Thesis, Outline. The other
80% of the grade will be for the final paper content and the use of MLA format. Several quotations from at least 2 critical articles
from the Literature database, the link is at the top of the class page, must be used in addition to quotations from the work itself.
For information on MLA format see the library homepage.
*********************************************************
Read the play. Select an Approach from the sheet (found below) on Approaches. Each Approach has a series of
related questions, which can be used to help focus the paper. It is not necessary, however, that all the questions be answered.
Use only the questions, which seem to apply to the paper you are writing. Approaches include the historical, sociological,
biographical, psychological, archetypal & feminist.
Read the work and then review it several times before beginning to write. It might be helpful to select the criticism on
the work before deciding on the approach you will use. Select the approach based on what you are able to find in the critical
material.
Set up your paper so that you have a Title page, an Outline, the Text and finally the Works Cited. All of it
should be in MLA format. Organize your paper so that your second paragraph is a complete but brief summary of the
work you are analyzing. This will make it easier for the reader to understand your comments on the work in the body of
your paper. There should be many quotations from the work itself. The critical articles should be quoted, paraphrased,
or summarized at least once.
See below for parenthetical references for verse plays such as Shakespeare’s.
19. Verse plays and poems
For verse plays, MLA recommends omitting page numbers in the parenthetical citation. Instead, include act, scene, and line
numbers that can be located in any edition of the work. Use arabic numerals, and separate the numbers with periods. [Use
slashes (/) to indicate line ends.]
In his famous advice to players, Shakespeare's Hamlet defines the purpose of theater, "whose end, both at the first
and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature" (3.2.21-23). Or (III.ii.21-23).
The previous lines are written in prose, but most of Shakespeare’s plays are written in iambic pentameter. Often you will quote
them in poetic form, indented one inch from the left margin. Like this:
Hamlet.
To be, or not to be,--that is the question:-Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? (III.i.66-70)
Notice that the lines when indented look like a poem. However, the lines can also be written within the text, in prose format;
when copied this way, the lines have slashes at the line ends like this: Hamlet says, “To be, or not to be,--that is the question:--/
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,/
And by opposing end them” (III.i.66-70)?
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Hacker, Diana. “MLA In Text Citations.” Humanities Documenting Sources. Research and Documentation Online. 11
Jan. 2006 <http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/intext.html>.
Before writing your paper re-read & think about the work you are writing about.
Find and read two critical articles on it. Better to read several articles. (Of course you may use the internet to get some
background if you like, but never use a website as a resource for a literature paper. Your critical articles must be either from a
book or from the Databases by Subject on the Library Homepage.)
Decide on your topic. Be sure to get the topic approved.
Review and highlight the work several times before beginning to write selecting quotations or ideas in the work which will help
you make your point in your paper.
Select important quotations and ideas from both the work and the critical articles.
Create 10+ notes using the quotations and ideas you have marked. Remember that your notes must have
parenthetical references attached, and when they are submitted the Works Cited page must be with them so that I can
make sense of the parenthetical references. Both quotations and paraphrases must have parenthetical references
because they are borrowed from your source.
 ENGL 2322 * Survey of British Literature I * Syllabus - Arzola 
Page 6 of 14
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On the outline page of your finished paper be sure to include the thesis statement. In the thesis indicate the approach you are
using. (Review the Rules for Outlining handout on the class page.)
 The finished paper will include a title page, an outline page containing a general outline and the thesis for the paper, the text,
and the works cited (including at least 2 critical articles and the work itself). Be sure to insert page breaks between each of
these sections for papers submitted online.
o Paragraph 1 should introduce the paper telling the reader what is coming.
o Organize your paper so that your second paragraph is a complete, but brief, summary of the work you are analyzing.
This will make it easier for the reader to understand your comments on the work in the body of your paper.
o The last paragraph will draw a conclusion regarding your comments on the work in question.
o The body of your paper must NOT simply review the plot. Papers like this will be returned to you for revision.
o The body of your paper must analyze some element of the work as described above.
o Each paragraph must have a topic sentence. This is usually the first sentence which guides the reader as to what is
coming next. If your paragraph goes all over the place and does not focus on a single topic, it needs to be rewritten.
If your paragraph focuses on a topic but talks about it in a desultory way, then you need to organize your statements
and put them into a more appropriate sequence so that it will be easier for your reader to understand what you are
saying.
o Always keep in mind the fact that your reader can neither read your mind nor can she ask you questions as is
possible in conversation. You must keep in mind the differences between conversation and writing. In writing it is
critical that you be clear.
o Using a particular format, such as MLA, helps your reader to know what is coming.
 When you correctly follow the formatting rules, you make things clear and agreeable for your reader.
 When you do not follow the rules, you make things confusing so that the reader tends to distrust the
integrity of the rest of the paper.
o Be sure to
+ Write in the present tense.
+ Name the story and its author in paragraph #1.
+ Frequently EXPLAIN what you are talking about to your reader. Think of your reader as being slightly ignorant.
Creating Papers:
 Grammar and mechanics should be the LAST thing you worry about as you do your final editing and revisions before
turning in your work.
 If you worry too early about grammar, you will find that you get lost in the trees and forget the general direction of the
forest you are walking through.
 Do your grammatical check up, but do it at the end.
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Support for your Writing Process
Tutors available on campus
Askonline.net, accessed through the Tutoring link at the top of the class page, for online tutors.
Conferences with your instructor both by phone and in person. Request a conference via Eagle email.
Handbooks with MLA format (available at local libraries or on your own bookshelf)
Library Homepage (http://www.hccs.edu/system/library/library.html)
o Card Catalog resources for HCC & other area libraries
o MLA Format (under MLA Style near bottom of page)
o Dictionary & Thesaurus
o Critical Articles (under Databases by Subject/ Literature)
The Purdue Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html
 ENGL 2322 * Survey of British Literature I * Syllabus - Arzola 
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The Approaches to be used for the Analysis of Literary Works
Typically in analyzing a work we analyze the structure, the language, the imagery, the figurative devices, the theme, the characters, the setting and
symbols. In addition to these, our class will work on analyzing a work using extrinsic criticism, which will incorporate other fields of study with our
interpretation of literature. These other approaches include the historical, the sociological and political, the moral and religious, the biographical, the
psychological, the archetypal, and the feminist. Below are series of questions, which can be used when applying a particular approach to the work under
consideration.
Historical:
o What are both the author’s time period and the time period depicted in the work?
o From what period of time are most of the allusions in the work drawn?
o What significant events were taking place at this time? Are they reflected in the work?
o What ideas or philosophies were most dominant?
o Does the work reflect or oppose these ideas? How?
o If you have read other works written during this same time period, how does this work compare in its treatment of subjects, events, or ideas?
o What literary traditions or movements were especially strong at the time? Does the work reflect these traditions or movements, or is it a
reaction against them?
Sociological:
o What class/es of society is represented in the work?
o What are the prevailing manners, customs, habits, dress, etc. of that class?
o Do these manners and mores directly influence the behavior of characters in the work? How?
o Could the work have been written about any other milieu and still have the same impact?
o What economic (e.g. Marxist) or social (e.g. women=s liberation) movements were taking place either in the time period depicted in the work
or in the time period in which the work was written?
o Is the writer making a statement about social reality? What?
o If the writer describes a social problem, does he or she seem to offer a solution for that problem?
Biographical:
o Does the writer seem to draw from his/her life in the work? What biographical knowledge seems necessary for a fuller understanding of the
work?
o If any key episodes from the writer=s life are reflected in the work, to what extent do the literary events resemble biographical ones?
o Did any controversies surround the writer in his/her lifetime?
o How did contemporaries regard the writer and how did that influence the work?
o Did the writer have any important friendships or other relationships important to a full understanding of the work?
Psychological:
o What is your immediate response to the work? What single word best describes that emotional response?
o What is the emotional condition of each of the characters?
o Would you like to know any of the people in the work? Why?
o Do any characters display perceivable psychological problems?
o Do any psychological theories seem particularly applicable to the work?
o How do these theories illuminate the work?
Archetypal: (“the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies” – from the Merriam-Webster online
dictionary, http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary). For this Approach you would first describe the archetype, the basic “type,” of the character you are
analyzing. Then you show how the character in the work is similar to and different from this archetype. It works like a comparison/contrast paper.
o Select a character from the work who is a “type,” a pattern of a type of person such as a mother, a monster, a thief, a hero, a nurse, a knight,
etc. In the paper describe the typical monster or mother or hero: this is the archetype as YOU see it. Then describe the monster, mother,
hero in the work you are analyzing. How is the character in the work the same as the archetype? How is she or he different?
o Do any characters in the work seem familiar? Why? In what way?
o Find the pattern or archetype to this character. What is the archetype like? How is the character in the work similar to or different from the
archetype?
o How are these archetypes used in the work?
o Does the use of archetypes explain some of the work’s appeal? Why?
o Does the write reverse any expectations you may have? Does thinking about archetypes explain those expectations? What were your
expectations of the character?
Feminist:
o How are women portrayed in the work?
o What are their relationships with men? With each other? With their children? With themselves?
o Do you detect any specifically female images or symbols such as nets, wombs, traps, vases, the earth, the moon? How are these images
used?
o Is the writer male or female? If female, has she used a male pseudonym? Why?
o The writer is from a particular time period. How does this time period view women? Does the writer agree with her/his times?
o Is the subject “typically” feminine? How?
o Do female characters accept their “places” in the family, society, marriage or are they struggling for self-definition?
o How does the author’s own biography relate to the characterization of women and men in the work?
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English 2322 - British Lit. from the Beginnings to the Neo-Classical Period – Arzola 
The Poetry Paper 
Write a well written essay of 750-1000 words on one poem below. Be sure to work with ALL of the required elements. You are required to turn in TWO
papers for this grade: the Preliminary Poetry Analysis which is due BEFORE the final paper, and the Completed Poetry Analysis due after you have
reviewed my comments on the PPA, made the necessary changes and then turned the PPA into an essay. Be sure to work with ALL of the required
elements. There follows an example of what is required: first a form you can use to work with and then a sample paper. Whatever work you select, be
sure that it is short and easy to understand as you will be explaining its meaning to your reader.
Choose one from the following poems. (Keep in mind that you will have to both quote and interpret every line; if you are loath to do this, select a shorter
poem from these.): Shakespeare –John Donne “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” (679), “Death Be not Proud” (691) // George Herbert “The Altar” 732,
“Easter Wings” 733 // Richard Lovelace “To Lucasta, Going to the Wars” Shakespeare Sonnet 18 (541), Sonnet 29 (543), Sonnet 116 (549)
Explicate a poem:
1. Analyze the prosody
Rhythm & Meter
Rhyme scheme
Stanza formation
Word Choice
2. Interpret – phrase by phrase
Summarize the interpretation
3. Overall evaluation
Comments: Whether you choose to work with a speech or a poem, write your paper carefully. Although you have been given a rough outline of material
to be covered, the structure of this outline might not be the best for your paper. Consequently it is suggested that you work with your material and
organize it into the structure that is going to make it most clear to your readers.
Important: Be sure to use MLA format. See Library Homepage: http://www.hccs.edu/system/library/library.html
Parenthetical References use line nos. for both poems and poetic speeches.
Be sure to include all parts of the Preliminary Analysis in your Completed Paper.
Select a work which you can easily understand.
Write fully working to get to the deeper MEANINGS and not simply paraphrasing in your interpretations.
Include a title page, text, and works cited page in your final draft.
The Sonnet: In case you are working with a sonnet, here is some information gleaned from a website:
A Guide to the Sonnet
A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter with a carefully patterned rhyme scheme. Other strict, short poetic forms occur in English
poetry (the sestina, the villanelle, and the haiku, for example), but none has been used so successfully by so many different poets. The Italian, or
Petrarchan sonnet, named after Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374), the Italian poet, was introduced into English poetry in the early 16th century by Sir
Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542). Its fourteen lines break into an octave (or octet – a set of 8 lines), which usually rhymes ABBAABBA, but which may
sometimes be ABBACDDC or even (rarely) ABABABAB; and a sestet (a set of 6 lines), which may rhyme CDECDE or CDCDCD, or any of the multiple
variations possible using only two or three rhyme-sounds. The English or Shakespearean sonnet, developed first by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
(1517-1547), consists of three quatrains (a set of 4 lines) and a couplet (a rhyming pair) -- that is, it rhymes ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
The form into which a poet puts his or her words is always something of which the reader ought to take conscious note. And when poets have
chosen to work within such a strict form, that form and its strictures make up part of what they want to say. In other words, the poet is using the structure
of the poem as part of the language act: we will find the "meaning" not only in the words, but partly in their pattern as well. For example, take the pattern
of 3 quatrains and a couplet: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Each of the quatrains might discuss a different aspect of the same issue. The couplet at the end
will then draw a conclusion.
The Italian form, in some ways the simpler of the two, usually projects and develops a subject in the octave, then executes a turn at the beginning
of the sestet, which means that the sestet must in some way release the tension built up in the octave. (Example: see Wyatt's "Farewell Love and all thy
laws for ever.") The Shakespearean sonnet has a wider range of possibilities. One pattern introduces an idea in the first quatrain, complicates it in the
second, complicates it still further in the third, and resolves the whole thing in the final epigrammatic couplet. (Example: see Shakespeare's Sonnet 138.)
You can see how this form would attract writers of great technical skill who are fascinated with intellectual puzzles and intrigued by the complexity of
human emotions, which become especially tangled when it comes to dealing with the sonnet's traditional subjects, love and faith.
Although the two types of sonnet may seem quite different, in actual practice they are frequently hard to tell apart. Both forms break between lines
eight and nine; the octave in the Italian frequently breaks into two quatrains, like the English; and its sestet frequently ends in a final couplet. In addition,
many Shakespearean sonnets seem to have a turn at line nine and another at the final couplet; and if a couplet closes an Italian sonnet, it is usually
because the poet wanted the epigrammatic effec t more characterstic of the Shakespearean form. It behooves the reader to pay close attention to lineend punctuation, especially at lines four, eight, and twelve, and to connective words like and, or, but, as, so, if, then, when, or which at the beginnings of
lines (especially lines five, nine, and thirteen).
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For more information on the sonnet, consult your glossary (in the back of your textbook); M.H. Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms; Paul Fussell,
Poetic Meter and Poetic Form; or The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics.
Everett, Glenn. “A Guide to the Sonnet” 10 Aug. 2008 <http://www.utm.edu/departments/english/everett/sonnet.htm>.
 ENGL 2322 * Survey of British Literature I * Syllabus - Arzola 
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(Here is the setup for your Poetry Analysis – preliminary to your Poetry Paper.
Include ALL parts listed below in your PPA.)
A Preliminary Analysis of "_____________"
by _________________
Name: __________________________
I.
Structure (4 parts)
1. Rhyme scheme
2. Meter, # of Syllables per line, & Feet
3. Stanza structure (a description of the form, the shape of the poem)
4. Word usage
II.
Content (2 parts)
1. Line by line or Phrase by phrase interpretation
(Title & Author of your poem)
Remember to work with units of meaning such as sentences or clauses NOT LINES necessarily when breaking down
the poem for interpretation. Separate lines in the poem with a slash (/).
Poem
Interpretation
2. Synopsis (summary) of interpretation (100+ words)
III. Overview ~ General Criticism of the poem (200+ words)
Work Cited
(Indicate bibliographic information for the poem.)
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(Sample Rough Draft of the required paper)
A Preliminary Analysis of "Flower in the Crannied Wall"
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
I. Structure
1. Rhyme scheme
Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower -- but if I could understand
what you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is.
A
B
C
C
A
B
2. Meter (Underline only the stressed syllables – not entire words. Usually the stresses will fall on the syllable normally
stressed.// You can find information on both syllables and stressed syllables in a dictionary entry. For example in the
Merriam Webster online dictionary it divides the word “syllable” into 3 syllables: syl·la·ble. Of these the first is the one
usually stressed: syl·la·ble. To get a sense of where the stresses lie in a line of poetry try reading it out loud. Tap your hand
or your foot in time with the rhythm of the line. Notice which syllables you are reading as your hand taps. These are the
stressed syllables. You will find this much easier at first with a simple poem like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”)
Flower/ in the/ crannied/ wall,
I pluck/ you out/ of the crannies,
I hold/ you here,/ root/ and all,/ in my hand,
Little/ flower/ -- but if I/ could un/derstand
What/ you are,/ root / and all,/ and all / in all,
Í should/ know what/ God and/ man is.
3. Stanzaic structure
This poem is made up of one stanza.
4. Word usage discussion of each word mentioned (Give at least four examples.)
(Do NOT include simple words such as “the,” “or,” “it,” unless they are truly important to the meaning of the poem.)
(Look for patterns, related groups of words, images, or ideas that run through a work. Look for anomalies, unusual forms, unique uses of language, or
unusual treatments of topics. What words seem important? Why? What does each word say? What does it suggest? Are any words repeated? Why? Is the
poem’s diction formal or informal? Is the arrangement of words conventional or unconventional?)
A. There is repetition of the word “all,” which suggests the poem deals with all of life.
line 3: root and all
line 5: root and all, all in all
B. The poem begins with the word "Flower" in line 1 and progresses to "God" followed by "man" in line 6. In other words
there is a progression from a plant to its creator, God, to a further creation: man.
C. The poem uses the words “pluck” and “hold” to indicate how the narrator has, in a sense, captured the flower he is
working to understand.
line 2: I pluck you
line 3: I hold you
D. The narrator uses the words “understand” and “know” to show his sense that he could understand all life if he could just
understand this flowr.
line 4: but if I could understand
line 6: I should know
E. The word "man" in line 6 means all humanity not just the male half.
5. Sentence structure
The short poem is a single sentence in a single stanza.
II. Content
1. Phrase by phrase interpretation .
(Break the poem into thought groupings which might go beyond single lines. One idea is to work with either
full sentences or clauses; look for periods, semicolons, and colons as ending points. Never use line ends as necessarily indicating the end of a thought in a
poem.)
(Do not paraphrase. Work instead to interpret or explain the meanings of the lines. If you do not understand the poem, select another, easier one from those
available.)
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Poem
Interpretation
Flower in the crannied
wall,
We learn that a flower is growing out of a chink in a wall.
I pluck you out of the
crannies,
The narrator picks this flower and addresses it. Plucking the flower "out of the crannies" is
suggestive of picking the flower out of obscurity, out of the darkness. The narrator has
taken a small, insignificant object and brought it out into the light of the sun and of his
mind.
I hold you here, root
and all, in my hand,
There is a sense that the narrator is holding the flower in the present moment. We can
almost feel the flower in our own hands. When the narrator mentions the root, we sense that
he has the entire flower, including its beginnings there before him. When he says root, it is
almost as though he were speaking of a seed.
In addition there is the sense of comprehension of the flower because he holds it in his
hand: in holding it in his hand, he also holds it in his mind. This concept is reinforced by
the words "and all" which follow root. The narrator has the whole flower before him.
Little flower -- but if I
could understand/
What you are, root
and all, and all in all,/
I should know what
God and man is.
The "but" in line 4 tells us that the narrator does not understand in spite of the implied
comprehension suggested in line 3. In addition the narrator tells us that if, indeed, he could
understand the totality of the flower ("root and all, and all in all"), then he would "know
what God and man is." He would understand God, the Creator of all life, as well as man,
his highest creation. The implication here is that a simple plant like this little flower eking
out its precarious existence in the inhospitable site of a wall is actually the repository of
vast knowledge.
(Use literary to terms accurately. Be careful not to confuse the narrator or speaker with the writer. You should not say, “In
the poem’s last stanza, Frost expresses his indecision,” when you mean the poem’s speaker is indecisive.)
2. Synopsis of interpretation (Similar to but not exactly the same as what was written in the table above.)
The narrator of this poem has come upon a flower growing out of a wall. He picks it and begins a philosophic monologue
addressing the flower. He has pulled it out of a dark recess and brought it out into the light. It has caught his attention, and
he wishes to study it. He holds it in his hand. He observes it. He has pulled it out by the roots so that he has the entirety of
the flower in his hand. The implication is that he has in his hand all that makes up the flower. When the narrator applies his
understanding to the flower, he realizes that if he could just understand the flower (its qualities, its essence) then he could
understand both God and man. To understand God would mean that the narrator would understand the Creator. The narrator
might know how God created humanity, the universe. He might understand God's purposes in his creation. The narrator
believes that he would understand "man." as well. All this knowledge and more the narrator believes would be available to
him if only he could understand the totality of the flower.
3. Overview: General Criticism of the work (Here go beyond the poem itself to its larger meaning.
How does this fit into life as
you know it? Are there other poems or books or ideas of which this poem reminds you? Discuss the work in the larger context of life. How do the ideas in
the poem reflect the larger world? The Wadsworth Handbook suggests the writer look for patterns, related groups of words, images, or ideas that run
through a work. Look for anomalies, unusual forms, unique uses of language, unexpected actions by characters, or unusual treatments of topics. Finally,
look for connections, links with other literary works, with historical events, or with biographical information (515).)
Kirszner, Laurie and Stephen Mandell, ed. The Wadsworth Handbook. 7th ed. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005
This beautiful poem is an exposition of Tennyson's philosophy of nature. Traditional Christian theology would
never think of looking at a flower for an understanding of God, but here Tennyson looks at a simple flower and knows that
in looking at this, he is looking at the miracle of creation. He is looking at God's handiwork.
The narrator has come upon a flower growing in a chink in a wall. Something about it has engaged him. He pulls it
out by the root rather than simply pulling the flower off the root as most would have done. He holds the flower in his hand
and studies this marvel. He remarks that he holds the flower, "root and all," in his hand. He seems to be saying that he is
holding the totality of the flower, all that makes it a flower. The last clauses tell us that the narrator perceives the secrets of
the universe in this small, simple plant. Could he but understand this little flower, he would "know what God and man is."
The philosophy behind this concept seems to be that the totality of an object holds within it both the totality of its Creator
and the totality of other creatures.
This short poem lets us into the vast mind of the poet. He shows us that by paying close attention to the little things
around us we can come to a greater understanding of the universe. There is a subtle implication in the poem that it is
possible to understand the flower in some ways and, therefore, to understand God and ourselves.
Work Cited
Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. "Flower in the Crannied Wall." Norton Anthology of English Literature [Use italics or underline
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book title.]. Vol. II. 6th ed. Ed. M. H. Abrams. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1993. 1167.
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