British Literature II
ENG 2020, Section 0892
Course Syllabus
Course Description
This class will introduce you to the literature of the United Kingdom from roughly 1750 to the
present day. The main literary movements we will cover include Romanticism, Victorianism,
and Modernism.
If you've taken online courses before, you'll notice that this is one is quite different, designed to
emulate the classroom experience (and responsibilites). There may be bit of a learning curve as
you get used to the rhythm of the class. You are expected to read, take quizzes, "attend" the
lectures, and participate. Indeed, each of these aspects are "sequenced" so that you must do one
to get to the next. It is therefore a pretty intense class, with long online lectures and lessons, and
whereas the reading may not be intense (sometimes just a few poems), the level of
understanding, engagement with the material, and participation are expected to be very high.
That being said, you do have freedom within each weekly session, which consist of two "classes"
each. I expect you to listen to all the lectures in each session -- break them up into smaller
sessions, if need be. Discussions and exams will depend upon the content of the lectures (i.e. this
isn't the kind of online course where I just send you off to read some articles, do a quiz, and
move on. This is lecture driven). The class modules are staggered in such a way that you need to
complete each task in order to open up the next, but you have a week to do so.
Course Goals
By the end of the semester, students will have a familiarity with the overarching trends of the
periods, and the general/work style of major figures, as well as the historical, political, social,
and cultural tensions and how they affected the literature of the time.
Professor Information
Dr. David M. Earle
Office: Bldg 50, Room, 247
Email: dearle@uwf.edu
Office Hours and Communication: Office hours will be via email and discussion board. I will
respond the quickest to emails, and if the question/comment is helpful to the class as a whole, I
shall remove your name and post it to the discussion board. But expect at least 24 hous for a
response. Due to the large number of student inquiries in this class, please post general questions
to the course website under the discussion board prompt "General Class Concerns," and save
questions regarding your particular situation to email. Additionally, please check the course
website prior to posting or contacting me to confirm that your question has not previously been
answered. ("News" and "Discussions" are good places to check).
Due to the on-line nature of this course, course communication will occur primarily via
eLearning and via "Groupmail." It is thestudent's responsibility to check elearning and their
email regularly. Failure to do so may result in missed instructions/assignments.
Texts / Materials
I'll be supplying all the reading material for the class, either through pdfs or links to online texts.
For the most part, texts will be drawn from The Norton Anthology of British Literature, either
the Eighth or Ninth Editions, as well as open access electronic texts. Page numbers will refer to
these texts and are hold overs to earlier versions of this class where I made the Norton mandatory
for students. Whereas this will result in some confusion and flipping through pages, I daresay
that is preferrable to me having you buy an $80 book.
There are two exceptions to the online reading depending upon whether you prefer reading actual
books or online texts. These are the two longer works we'll be reading: Frankenstein and Heart
of Darkness. If you want to buy a material version of Frankenstein, I suggest
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Signet Classics.
ISBN-13: 978-0451527714
If you decide to use an online or different edition, it is important to make sure it is the 1831 text
with the "Author's Introduction." Besides that, page references in my lectures will correspond to
this Signet edition.
As far as Heart of Darkness goes, any edition is fine but I suggest the Dover thrift edition
available on Amazon, mostly because it is inexpensive. The lectures will refer to the pages of the
Norton, so don't be confused.
All the texts will be available under "course documents" and linked within the individual class
modules
Required Materials:



Internet Access (broadband is recommended)
Activated UWF ArgoNet E-mail Account
Headphones/Speakers for lectures
As well as the texts we will be examining, I will occasionally provide links to other sources, such
as pdfs or videos, in the learning modules and online lectures. I encourage students to explore
these additional materials in order to enhance your experience in the course.
Topics:
Broadly speaking, the three main areas of study shall include Romanticism, Victorianism, and
Modernism. Mostly, these are organized around different major authors, but sometimes they'll be
organized around a topic such as "World War One Poetry" or "The Woman Question."
Weekly Topics (two modules per week) include:











The Enlightenment and the French Revolution Debate
First Generation Romantics: Wordsworth and Coleridge
Second Generation Romantics: Keats and Shelley
Frankenstein
Victorianism
Tennyson, Imperialism, and the "Woman Question"
Doyle, Stephenson, and Degeneration
Thomas Hardy, Intro to Modernism
Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"
WWI Poetry and W.B. Yeats
Joyce and Woolf
Class Organization
Each module is staggered to open as you work through it: quizzes open the lecture. The lecture
opens the discussion prompts. Once you post to the discussion board, the study guide/lecture
outline will be released. It is therefore necessary to complete each aspect. Important: the quizzes
will only be available for four days (a new module opens every wed and sun at 12:01 AM); you
NEED to take the quiz in this time or the lecture wont be accessible. Once you take the quiz,
then the lecture will remain open and accessible. Once the quiz closes, and if you haven't
submitted it, then you've lost the option to hear the lecture, contribute to the discussions, etc -just as if you missed class.
Course Schedule and Assignments
Dates
Module Title/
Topic
Course Material
1.
1/61/12
Week 1 Enlightenment
to
Romanticism
2.
3.
Read the General
Introduction to
Romanticism and the
Burke and
Wollestonecraft sections
of the "Revolution
Controversy and the
'Spirit of the Age'"
Cluster
Watch Lecture (I'd
suggest breaking this one
in two. Take notes)
Contribute to Discussion
Board, which will open
the study guide.
Assignments
1.
2.
Due Dates
Complete Bio Info in " Meet
Opens
your Classmates"
Midnight
1/6.
Complete Discussion on
Discussions
are
Lecture
due, 12 am 1/12
4.
Download or Print the
Study Guide
1.
Download and
read Wordsworth,
“Preface to Lyrical
Ballads,” “Lines
Composed…”
Download and read
Coleridge: “Eolian
Harp,” “Kubla Khan”
(with intro), “Rime of
the Ancient Mariner”
Take Quiz to open
Wordsworth Lecture
Watch Lecture
Take Coleridge Quiz
Watch Coleridge Lecture
(which will open
discussion prompts)
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
2.
3.
Complete Wordsworth Quiz
Complete Coleridge Quiz
Contribute to Weekly
discussion prompts
Quiz needs to be
completed by
12am, 1/19
Read Keats: “On Seeing
the Elgin Marbles,” “Ode
to a nightingale.”
Shelley: “To
Wordsworth,” “Mont
Blanc,” “Men of
England,” “England,
1819”
Take Quizzes to open
Lectures
Watch
Lectures Contribute to
Discussion Board (which
will open study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
2.
3.
Complete Quizzes
Watch Lectures
Contribute to Weekly
Discussion Prompts
Quiz needs to be
completed by
midnight 1/26
1.
2.
Complete Quiz
Contribute to the Discussion Quiz needs to be
completed by
Board
midnight 2/2
2.
Week 2:
1/12Wordsworth
1/19
and Coleridge
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
Week 3 1/19Keats and
1/26
Shelley
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
Week 4:
1/26Frankenstein
2/2
part I
3.
4.
5.
Read Frankenstein
through Chapter 13
Take Quiz to open
Lecture
Watch Lecture
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
2.
2/22/9
Week 5 –
Frankenstein
part II
3.
4.
5.
2/12
Exam I
2/9 2/16
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
Week 7 –
2/16- Tennyson and
2/23 The Woman
Question
3.
4.
5.
6.
Week 8 –
2/23 Doyle and
3/2
Stevenson
1.
2.
Complete Quiz
Contribute to the Discussion Quiz needs to be
Board
completed by
midnight 2/9
Feb 12 (between
12:01 am and
11:59 pm)
Covering Romanticism
1.
Week 6 - Intro
to
Victorianism
Finish Frankenstein
Take Quiz to open
Lecture
Watch Lecture
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
2.
Read the general
Introduction to "The
Victorian Age."
Watch Lecture
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
Read Tennyson, “The
Epic [Morte d’Arthur],”
“The Lady of
Shallot,” “Ulysses,” “C
harge of the Light
Brigade”
read “The Woman
Question" cluster: Ellis,
Patmore." Elizabeth
Barret Browning, “[The
education of] Aurora
Leigh.” Christina
Rossetti, “The Goblin
Market,”
Take Quiz to open
Lectures
Watch Lectures
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
1.
2.
Read Doyle, "Man with
the Twisted Lip," online;
Robert Louis Stevenson,
“The Strange Case of Dr.
1.
2.
Contribute to the Discussion
Board
n/a
Take Reading Quiz
Contribute to the Discussion Quiz needs to
be completed by
Board
midnight 2/23
Quiz needs to
Take Reading Quizzes
be completed by
Contribute to the Discussion
midnight 3/2
3.
4.
5.
6.
3/5
Exam II
Covering Victorianism
1.
2.
3/23/9
Week 9 Introduction
to Modernism
3.
and Hardy
4.
5.
6.
7.
3/93/16
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,”
1643
Take Quiz to open
Lectures
Watch Lectures
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
Board
3/5, Open from
12:02 AM –
11:59 pm
3/5
Read the General Introduction
to Modernism; Read intro to
"Modernist Manifestos," and
excerpts from Blast and
"some Imagist Poetry";
Read Matthew Arnold,
“Dover Beach”; Text’s Intro
to Modernism; Thomas
Hardy, Thomas Hardy, Hardy
“Hap,” “The Darkling
Thrush,” “Channel Firing,”
Who’s that Digging on my
Grave;
Watch Modernism Lecture
Take Hardy Quiz,
Watch Hardy Lecture (which
will open discussion prompts)
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open study
guide)
Print out or download study
guide
1.
2.
Take Hardy Quiz
Contribute to
Discussion Board
Quiz n/a to be
completed by
midnight 3/9
Week 10: No
Class—Spring
Break
1.
Week 11 Conrad's
3/16- "Heart of
3/23 Darkness,"
“Preface” and
part I
2.
3.
4.
5.
Read Conrad, “Preface to
The Nigger of the
Narcissus”; “Heart of
Darkness,” Part
Take Quiz to open first
Conrad Lecture
Watch Lecture
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
1.
Take Conrad I quiz
Quiz needs to
be completed by
midnight 3/23
study guide
1.
2.
3.
Week 12 –
3/23- Conrad’s
3/30 HOD, parts 2
&3
4.
5.
1.
2.
Week 13 3/30- "Voices from
WWI" and
4/6
Yeats
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
4/64/13
Week 14:
Joyce and
Woolf
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Read HOD, parts 2 & 3
Take second Quiz,
Watch second Conrad
Lecture (which will open
discussion prompts)
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
Read “Voices from
WWI,” and supplemental
poetry
Read Yeats: “Lake of
Innisfree,” “Who Goes
with Fergus,” “Sept.
1913,” “Easter 1916,”
”Second Coming,”
“Sailing to Byzantium,”
“The Circus Animal’s
Desertion.”
Take WWI Quiz
Watch WWI Lecture
Take Yeats Quiz
Watch Yeats Lecture
(which will open
discussion prompts)
Contribute to Discussion
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
James Joyce: “The
Sisters” (handout),
“Araby.”
Virginia Woolf, “Modern
Fiction” “Professions for
Women” “A Sketch of
the Past”
Take Joyce Quiz to open
Joyce Lecture I
Watch Joyce Lecture
Take Woolf Quis
Watch Woolf Lecture
(which will open
discussion prompts)
Contribute to Discussion
1.
2.
Take second Conrad quiz
Contribute to the Discussion Quiz needs to be
Board
completed by
midnight 3/30
1.
2.
3.
Take WWI Quiz
Take Yeats Quiz
Contribute to Discussion
Board
1.
2.
Take Quizzes
Contribute to Discussion
Board
Quiz needs to be
completed by
midnight 4/6
Quiz needs to be
completed by
midnight 4/13
8.
Board (which will open
study guide)
Print out or download
study guide
Week 15:
4/13Exam
4/23
Preparation
4/23
Week 16:
Exam III
4/23
Available, 4/23
between 12:01
am – 11:59 pm.
Assignments
Quizzes: There will be quizzes on the reading that must be taken before the lecture can be
accessed in the learning module. These will be short and of differing types, ranging from
True/False to short answer. It is imperative that you read before hand, since if you try to use your
texts, you'll run out of time. You will have 6- 10 minutes for each quiz, depending upon the
number of questions. Since much of the reading consists of poetry and short reading
assignments, a deeper level of reading will be expected.
Discussion Questions: Whereas the quizzes test basic comprehension, the Discussion questions
that follow the lectures test more abstract literary tropes such as symbolism, theme,
characterization, etc...These Discussion prompts will often ask you to identify key objects and
explain their importance to both plot and the larger "meaning" of the story. These questions stem
from both the reading and the lectures and are to be attempted only after the lectures are listened
to. I will give you a choice of a number of prompts, you will respond to two of them on the
discussion board. This will open up the lecture study guides. Once you post your discussion
prompts, I'll go through them and post or release a selection of them to the board; you are also
required to respond to at least one of these; these responses will add to your participation grade.
Exams: There will be three exams over the course of the semester, each one dedicated to a major
literary movement. They shall be released about four days after we finish a section. The
questions shall draw from readings, the on-line lectures, and discussion board prompts. Some,
but not all of the material, may come from daily quizzes and discussion prompts. The exams
themselves will be of varied composition: short answer, identification, and both short (one to two
paragraph) and long timed essays. The goal is not only to test the student's basic comprehension,
but also the student's ability to make larger connections across and between movements and
authors.
I will designate an online "study session" a few days before each exam, as well as release a
general study guide for the lecture. I can't stop you from using your books for the exam, but I
have timed the exams in such a way that if you spend too much time with your books on the
early quantifiable questions, you'll run out of time on the later qualifiable essay questions. It is
therefore necessary that you study!
Grading Policy
Your grade will consist of three exams, quizzes, and participation on the discussion board.
Quizzes: 20%
Discussion and Participation: 20%
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 20%
Exam 3: 20%
Attendance Policy
Again, let me reiterate that this in an on-line class. It is the student's responsibility to check the
due dates for quizzes, discussion assignments, and the exams. Late exams, quizzes, and
discussion assignments will not be accepted. Once the due date for an assignment has passed, it
will no longer be available in eLearning. Assignments not completed as scheduled will receive a
grade of zero.
Minimum Technical Skills and Special Technology Utilized by Students
This course is totally on-line. All instructional content and interaction takes place over the
WWW. In addition to baseline word processing skills and sending/receiving email with
attachments, students will be expected to search the internet and upload / download files. In
addition, students may need one or more of the following plug-ins:







Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
PowerPoint Viewer: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=048D
C840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en
Windows Media Player: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/
QuickTime Player: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Real Player: http://www.real.com/realplayer/search
Adobe Flash Player: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
eLearning's Accessibilty Resource Guides for
users: http://www.desire2learn.com/access/resources/
Expectations for Academic Conduct / Plagiarism Policy
Academic Conduct Policy: (Web Site) | (PDF Format) |
Plagiarism Policy: (WORD Format) | UWF Library Online Tutorial: Plagiarism |
Student Handbook: (PDF Format)
Assistance for Students with Disabilities
The Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) at the University of West Florida supports an
inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of
this course that hinder your full participation, such as time-limited exams, inaccessible web
content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, please notify the instructor or the
SDRC as soon as possible. You may contact the SDRC office by e-mail at sdrc@uwf.edu or by
phone at (850) 474-2387. Appropriate academic accommodations will be determined based on
the documented needs of the individual.
Accessibility Resources


Follow this link for information on accessibility settings in eLearning.
Follow this link for information on accessibility features in UWF's Learning Management
System (LMS), Desire2Learn.
TurnItIn
UWF maintains a university license agreement for an online text matching service called
TurnItIn. At my discretion, I will use the TurnItIn service to determine the originality of student
papers. If I submit your paper to TurnItIn, it will be stored in a TurnItIn database for as long as
the service remains in existence. If you object to this storage of your paper:
1. You must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class.
2. I will utilize other services and techniques to evaluate your work for evidence of
appropriate authorship practices.
Weather Emergency Information
In the case of severe weather or other emergency, the campus might be closed and classes
cancelled. Official closures and delays are announced on the UWF website and broadcast on
WUWF-FM.


WUWF-FM (88.1MHz) is the official information source for the university. Any
pertinent information regarding closings, cancellations, and the re-opening of campus
will be broadcast.
In the event that hurricane preparation procedures are initiated, the UWF Home Web
Page and Argus will both provide current information regarding hurricane preparation
procedures, the status of classes and the closing of the university.
Emergency plans for the University of West Florida related to weather or other emergencies are
available on the following UWF web pages:

Information about hurricane preparedness plans is available on the UWF web site:
http://uwfemergency.org/hurricaneprep.cfm

Information about other emergency procedures is available on the UWF web site:
http://uwfemergency.org/