Course Title: Studies in Defoe, Swift, and Pope; 3 credit hrs.
Spring '12 Location: Evans 353 (unless I change it)
Class Meeting Times: 6 pm Monday
Syllabus
English 5375
Adams
Evans 110, Ext: 1419
Office hours: 1.00-3.00 pm
M & W or by appointment
eng_ira@shsu.edu
Required Texts:
NONE; Norton Critical Editions are recommended
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Whigs and Tories:
Studies in Defoe, Swift, and Pope
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1
From Charles I to George I: a Historical Synopsis
2
Propaganda and Satire: Defoe as Pamphleteer
(Essay on Projects and The Shortest Way with Dissenters)
3
Propaganda and Satire: Swift as Pamphleteer
(Argument Against Abolishing Christianity and The Modest Proposal)
4
Robinson Crusoe
5
Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders
6
Moll Flanders and Gulliver's Travels, I
7
Gulliver's Travels, I & II
8
Spring Vacation
9
Gulliver's Travels, III
10
Gulliver's Travels, IV
11
The Rape of the Lock
12
The Rape of the Lock & The Essay on Man
13
The Essay on Man
14
The Dunciad
15
The Dunciad
(March 12—16)
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Grades: There will be a midterm essay exam (take-home on Mar. 5), covering everything through Gulliver's
Travels, Pt. II. There will be an objective final exam covering everything beyond that point. Each of these will
count 1/3 of your grade. In addition, 1/3 will be based on a research paper, 8-12 pages in length. If the
paper's primary focus is literary, it should aim to correlate the structure and/or themes of one or more of the
major works listed in this syllabus with those of at least two of the same author's other works that we have
not read in this course. If the paper's focus is not literary, then it should be sociological and historical in
nature and attempt to place one or more of the major works of these three authors within a significant social
or historical pattern of his culture.
Grading Scale: 100-92 = A; 91-83 = B; 82-70 = C; there are no Ds in graduate classes at SHSU; below 70 = F.
Makeups: Any necessary makeups of the midterm (if missed on account of illness or family emergency) will
take place during the last week of the semester (April 30—May 4).
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this course is to introduce the MA student to the
prose and poetry of Defoe, Swift, and Pope, the three most important English authors of the first half of the
eighteenth century. This will be achieved by required readings, lectures, and class discussion.
Also, nota bene: Student Absences on Religious Holy Days Policy Section 51.911(b) of the Texas Education Code requires that an
institution of higher education excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the
observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. Section 51.911(a)(2) defines religious holy days as: "a holy day
observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code...." A student whose
absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an
assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. University policy 861001 provides the procedures
to be followed by the student and instructor. A student desiring to absent himself/herself from a scheduled class in order to observe (a)
religious holy day(s) shall present to each instructor involved a written statement concerning the religious holy day(s). The instructor will
notify the student of a reasonable timeframe in which the missed assignments and/or examinations are to be completed. Americans With
Disabilities Act: SHSU adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing
reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you have a disability that may affect adversely your work in this class, then I
encourage you to register with the SHSU Counseling Center and to talk with me about how I can best help you. All disclosures of
disabilities will be kept strictly confidential. NOTE: no accommodation can be made until you register with the Counseling Center. Please
contact the Chair of the Committee for Continuing Assistance for Disabled Students and Director of the Counseling Center, Lee Drain
Annex, or by calling 294-1720. For the policy regarding academic dishonesty, check the following link:
http://www.shsu.edu/administrative/faculty/sectionb.html#dishonesty