ENG 340: Early American Literature
Fall 2011
MWF 10:50-11:40 Willard Hall 307
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Recognize the major periods, philosophies/theologies, events, and individuals that shaped
Anglo-American literature up to 1800;
Discuss effectively the literary principles and practices of the American Puritans, of their
critics, of Neo-classicists, and of proto-Romantics;
Write coherent and cogent analyses, using textual support and appropriate academic
conventions and language, of the literary products of early Anglo-American literature in
its many genres (poetry, nonfiction, drama, fiction, etc.); and
Explain in specific circumstances, and using details drawn directly from works of
literature, the impact of early American writing on current American culture.
AUG
M
29
W
31
SEPT
F
2**
Introduction to class: Syllabus, expectations, and requirements
Heimert/Delbanco (HD), The Puritans in America, “Introduction” on reserve
Sarah Vowell, The Wordy Shipmates (1-26)
John Cotton, “God’s Promise…” (HD 75-80)
Thomas Hooker, “The Danger of Desertion” (HD 64-69)
on reserve
on reserve
M
5
LABOR DAY
No Classes
W
7
John Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity”
http://history.hanover.edu/texts/winthmod.html
John Winthrop, “Reasons to be Considered for…”
http://www.winthropsociety.com/doc_reasons.php
F
9
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (HD 51-58)
Thomas Morton, New English Canaan (HD 48-50)
M
12
Vowell (27-87)
W
14
on reserve
on reserve
Roger Williams, “The Bloody Tenent of Persecution”
http://www.reformedreader.org/rbb/williams/btp.htm
John Cotton, “The Bloody Tenent, Washed…”, Chapter 6
http://web.mac.com/quintapress/PDF_Books/The_Bloudy_Tenent_Washed%20_v1.
pdf
SEPT
F
16
Vowell (87-166)
M
19
W
21
The Antinomian Crisis
F
23**
Vowell (166-248)
M
26
Anne Bradstreet (Eberwein)
W
28
F
30
OCT
M
3
Michael Wigglesworth, “God’s Controversy with New England” (Eberwein)
Edward Taylor (Eberwein)
W
5
F
7**
Ebenezer Cook, “The Sot-Weed Factor” (Eberwein) )
M
10
Paper 1 due
W
12
Phillis Wheatley, selections
F
14
M
17
Crevecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer, Letters I, II and III
W
19
Crevecoeur, Letters IX and X
F
21
Crevecoeur, Letters XII
M
24
Joel Barlow, “The Hasty Pudding” (Eberwein)
W
26
F
28
Philip Freneau, selections, (Eberwein)
M
31
Freneau, “The Hurricane”
Gigliotti, “On a ‘Strange Uncoasted Strand’…”
NOV
W
2**
Royall Tyler, The Contrast
on reserve
NOV
F
4
M
7
W
9
F
11
M
14
W
16
Deadline for completed recitations
F
18
Prospectus and annotated bibliography due
M
21**
Charles Brockden Brown, Wieland, or The Transformation: An American Tale
LAST DAY TO DROP CLASS
W
23
F
25
M
28
W
30
Hannah Webster Foster, The Coquette, or The History of Eliza Wharton
} THANKSGIVING RECESS
No classes
Wieland, continued
DEC
F
2
M
5
Paper 2 Due
W
7
Take-home Final Exam Questions distributed
F
9
READING DAY
W
14
Take-home Final Exam due (no later than 1 PM)
No classes
Required Texts
Brown, Charles Brockden. Wieland, or The Transformation: An American Tale. New York:
Penguin Books, 1991.
Crevecoeur, J. Hector St. John de. Letters from an American Farmer.
Eberwein, Jane, ed. Early American Poetry. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1978
Foster, Hannah Webster. The Coquette. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Tyler, Royall. The Contrast. Book Jungle, 2009.
Vowell, Sarah. The Wordy Shipmates. New York: Riverhead Books, 2008.
Assignments
Participation and Attendance
Each student can miss up to three classes during the course of the semester. These absences may
be related to illness, “better offers,” or even sloth, with little penalty. (See “Reading quizzes.”) If
students miss four or more, however, their grades may well be affected negatively. The other
half of this grade is participation (i.e., what students do after showing up for class: demonstrating
their preparation by asking pertinent questions, answering questions, respectfully challenging the
professor’s and fellow students’ interpretations, volunteering to read aloud, etc.). Even
attending every class is still only half this grade.
Reading quizzes (unannounced)
Occasional quizzes on the assigned reading(s) for that day that will focus on the basic
information/major plot points/themes/general questions of genre and not the more elaborate
interpretative or literary subtleties that will be discussed in class. Since the main point of the
unannounced nature of the quizzes is to reward those students who regularly come in prepared,
make-ups for quizzes missed will not be allowed, but in recognition that one might either miss
an occasional class or be less-than-prepared once in a great while, the two lowest quiz scores
will be dropped. (Nota bene: If a student misses the maximum of three classes and there are
quizzes each time, that’s the bad luck of the draw. Only two of the zeroes will be dropped.)
Paper 1 (2-3 pages)
(Due at the beginning of class on 10/10)
A) An examination of one of the critiques/analyses/riffs that Sarah Vowell offers about one of
the Puritans that we have read. How accurate of a reading does she offer (even while
admittedly approaching the texts from a humorous/satirical perspective)? Does she portray
their ideas/theology/concerns accurately? If so, how? If not, how? Be specific and
detailed.
or
B) A comparison and contrast of some significant image or theme in the poetry of two of the
following: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, and Michael Wigglesworth.
Reaction papers (Five in total, each of 150-200 words)
Comment on one specific idea or passage from the reading(s) to be discussed that day in class,
marked on the syllabus with two asterices (**). (Due at the beginning of class on 9/2, 9/23,
10/7, 11/2, 11/21)
Recitation
Memorization and oral class presentation of 20 lines of a poem read for this class this semester.
(Can be scheduled for almost any class during the semester but are due no later than 11/16)
Thesis and Annotated bibliography (1 page)
Clear and arguable thesis (if uncertain about this, ask!) about one of the works by one of the
authors read this semester with at least two appropriate secondary sources (if uncertain about
this, ask!) for each of which is included at least two sentences each of specific ways the article
will be used in support of the thesis. (Due at the beginning of class on 11/18)
Paper 2 (5-7 pages)
Analysis of a poem, sermon, tract, or novel (or a part of any of those) by one of the authors read
this semester. While much shorter than a traditional research paper, this paper should
acknowledge the scholarship on the author and/or specific work under consideration. (Due at the
beginning of class on 12/5)
Exam
Take-home exam that will allow the student to write two of three essay questions that will aim at
seeing the works studied over the course of the semester in light of some overarching issues in
the study of (early) American literature. (Due by 1:00 PM on 12/14)
Grading Breakdown (in descending order of weight in final grade)
Paper 2
Exam
Reaction papers
Paper 1
Recitation
Reading Quizzes (unannounced)
Thesis and Annotated Bibliography
Participation (including attendance)
20%
15%
15%
10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
Accommodations
Please contact me privately to discuss your specific needs if you believe you need course
accommodations based on the impact of a disability, medical condition, or if you have any
emergency medical information to share. I will need a copy of the accommodation letter from
Student Disability Services in order to arrange any accommodations. Contact Student Disability
Services, room 101-04, Willard Hall if you are not already registered with them. Student
Disability Services maintains the confidential documentation of your disability and assists you in
coordinating reasonable accommodations with your faculty.
Academic Honesty policy
The CCSU homepage contains an extensive section on academic honesty and plagiarism that you
should read thoroughly (www.ccsu.edu/AcademicIntegrity/). Appropriating someone else’s ideas
or words without giving them credit, whether intentionally or not, is unethical and is subject to
the penalties described in the guide. You are responsible for understanding what constitutes
plagiarism and for avoiding both deliberate and unintended plagiarizing.
A Final Word
PLAGIARISM is the un-attributed use of another’s ideas and/or words (EITHER
intentional OR accidental). Don’t do it.
If you are at all unsure, ask me or another English professor.
Remember: People’s academic careers have ended because of plagiarism.
Contact Information
Gilbert L. Gigliotti
Professor, Department of English
Emma Hart Willard Hall 329
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT 06050
860/832-2759
860/832-2784 (FAX)
Gigliotti@ccsu.edu
Office hours:
MWF: 7:45-8:15 am
MWF: 12:00-1:00 pm (or by appointment)
Blog:
www.connecticuthalfwit.blogspot.com
Weekly radio show:
“Frank, Gil, and Friends”
Tuesdays 8-10 AM
On-air: WFCS 107.7 FM
On-line: www.Live365.com/stations/wfcs