ENGLISH 742 EARLY AMERICAN LITERATURE
Dr. David S. Shields
Welsh 207 dshields@gwm.sc.edu
Course Abstract:
The purpose of this seminar is to master the current historiography of early American
literary studies, particularly in light of the “hemispheric turn” in this field since 1995.
The class sessions will entail two sorts of inquiry: a practicum for textual interpretation,
focusing on several key primary works and a discussion of current theoretical and
historical developments in current EA scholarship. A multitude of writings were
generated by the exploration of America, English colonization, imperial war, American
Revolution, and Nation Building from 1580-1800. From this corpus we will focus on
texts that promulgate several themes: 1. the creation of new forms of and functions for
writing by Reformed Christianity 2. the “civilizing process” 3. the projection of imperial
visions and the justification of aggression and piracy 4. the description of nature and the
formation of new paradigms of knowing, and 5. the inscription of Enlightenment in the
founding charters of the United States. All primary readings will be derived from texts
found on the World Wide Web. Each participant will be responsible for a written
summation and response to a key work of scholarship in the field, an interpretative
profile of an early American newspaper, an historical, biographical, or interpretative note,
and either a 10 page conference talk or 18 page article on a topic to be arranged in
consultation with the instructor.
The final grade will be determined as follows:
60 % conference talk/article
APR 18
20 % note
MAR 21
10 % newspaper profile
JAN 24
10 % response to scholarly book
By
FEB 14
I presume that you will attend classes regularly and inform me ahead of time when you
will be absent. In the preparation of assignments I am willing to consult you individually
about ideas, drafts, rhetorical strategies, and research methods prior to the assignment’s
submission. The stated due date for an assignment is final—subject to no postponement
for any reason short of dire illness or family tragedy. Consider it a publication deadline.
Papers and assignments will not be rewritten, so do your refining before you hand the
work in.
This class will be administered through Blackboard. Your responses, profiles, notes, and
final articles will be posted in the documents section of the ENGL 724 site. I will publish
the protocols for the four graded writings in the assignments section of the site. Papers
will be submitted electronically as e-mail attachments by 11:59 pm on the stated due
date. Standard paper format, double-spaced, 12 pt typeface (Times Roman) using either
MSWord or Wordperfect. I have both an IMac and a PC so should be able to handle
most formats. Footnotes in MLA Style for literary topics, Chicago Style for Book History
or Cultural History topics.
READINGS:
THE PRIEST
The Black Legend: Bartholemew De Las Casas, The Spanish Colonie
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/lascasas.pdf
[name = workshop, password = readings]
THE CAPTAIN
Captain John Smith, A Description of New England 1616
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/descriptionofnewenglandh.html
Captain John Smith, New England’s Trials 1620
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/newenglandtrialsh.html
Captain John Smith, Advertisements for Inexperienced Planters of New England 1631
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/advertisementh.html
THE MUSE
Anne Bradstreet, “A Dialogue Between Old England and New,” 1642.
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/braddial.html
Anne Bradstreet, Prefatory Verses & “Prologue” to Several Poems 1678, “In Honour of Dubartas,” “In Honour
of Queen Elizabeth”
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/bradstreet2.html
THE PROPHET
Benjamin Thompson, New England’s Crisis 1676
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/tompsonpoems.html
THE PIRATE
Alexandre Exquemelin, Bucaniers of America, 1689
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/esquemelin.html
THE HISTORIAN
Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora, Mercurio Volante 1693
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/mercurioengl.html
THE GENTLEMAN
Dr. Alexander Hamilton, The History of the Tuesday Club 1750s
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/hamilton.html
THE PUBLIC MAN
Benjamin Franklin, Rules for a Club Formerly Established in Philadelphia 1732
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf2/rules.htm
Benjamin Franklin, Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind 1751
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf2/increase.htm
Benjamin Franklin, “The Misrepresentation of America” 1767
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf3/misrepre.htm
Benjamin Franklin, “A War it Will Be” 1774
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf3/war.htm
Benjamin Franklin, “Proposed Articles of Confederation,” 1775
http://www.historycarper.com/resources/twobf3/articles.htm
Benjamin Franklin, “Speech to the Constitutional Convention,” 1787
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a7s3.html
THE PLANTER
James Grainger, The Sugar-Cane Pt. 4: The Genius of Africa
http://www.mith2.umd.edu/summit/anthology1/grainger.html
THE SLAVE
Equiano, Sancho, and Cuguano
http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/