Prof. N. Black
Fall 2003
Office: 2314 Boylan Direct
Voice: 951-5197 (during office hours)
Voice Mail Only: 951-4275
Hours: M, T, and Th, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
E-mail: nblack@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Web site: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/English/black
What is a literary text? How do we read it? And how do we pass the joy of reading, writing, and interpretation down to the next generation? In this course we read texts drawn from different historical periods and genres and consider problems of interpretation. Modern literary critical methods (such as formalism, feminism, cultural studies, psychological approaches) provide us with the tools to examine these texts from multiple points of view. We utilize these methods to become active readers of texts, to uncover the meanings of both literary and critical texts, to discuss the utility of modern critical methods in the discussion of texts in the 7-12 classroom, and to become more interesting writers about texts. We will use an anthology of essays, A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature [HCA], ed. Wilfred L Guerin et al, 4th ed. (Oxford UP; ISBN 0195099559), Hamlet, ed. Susanne L. Wofford, Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism [CSCC] (Bedford/St. Martin's; ISBN 0312055447), and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [HF], ed. John Seelye (Penguin; ISBN 0142437174). For this and all graduate English courses, M.H. Abrams's A Glossary of Literary Terms (7th ed.) and the MLA Handbook (6th ed.) are required. There will be three short papers and a final examination.
Weekly Assignments (dates due):
Sept. 4: How to read a poem; choosing literature for the 7-12 classroom; writing about literature; introduction to critical perspectives.
Sept. 11: Formalist Readings. Read Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" (HCA, pp. 373-74); HCA, pp. 1-32; 70-96. Two-page paper due on "To His Coy Mistress."
Sept. 18: Psychological Readings. Read Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" (HCA, pp. 375-87); HCA, pp. 125-57; optional: 51-59; 96-104.
Sept. 25: Feminist Readings. Read Walker's "Everyday Use" (HCA, pp. 388-96); HCA, pp. 196-234; optional: 60-68; 118-121.
Oct. 2: Read Hamlet (CSCC, pp. 27-154). Class in library; how to use the MLA Index and find critical studies. Second paper due.
Oct. 9: Psychoanalytic criticism and Hamlet: read CSCC, pp. 241-82.
Oct. 16: Feminist criticism and Hamlet: read CSCC, pp. 208-40.
Oct. 23: Cultural Studies: read HF, pp. 9-98; HCA, pp. 239-297.
Oct. 30: Read HF, pp. 99-191. One-page summary of article found through MLA Index on HF.
Nov.6: Reader-response criticism. Third paper due; HRC, pp. 355-366. read HF, pp. 192-322.
Nov. 13: Marxist criticism: CSCC, pp. 332-67.
Nov. 20: Cultural studies and New Historicism: CSCC, pp. 368-402.
Dec. 4: Fourth paper due.
Dec. 11: Deconstruction: CSCC, pp. 283-331.
Dec. 18: Final examination and submission of portfolio of original and revised writing assignments.
Paper Assignments: four papers are due on the following topics: (1) "To His Coy Mistress"; (2) "Young Goodman Brown" or "Everyday Use"; (3) Hamlet; (4) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Each paper should adopt a different literary critical approach to the work. Papers are due on the following dates: Sept. 11, Oct. 2, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4. After receiving my critical comments, each paper should be revised and submitted in the portfolio due on the last day of classes.
Grading: Students are expected to attend every class and arrive with the reading and writing prepared for the dates indicated above. Each short paper counts as 20% of the final grade and the final examination as another 20%.