ENGL 396A. Junior Proseminar

Sec. 2H: Poetry and Myth from the Elizabethans to the Modernists

Instructor: Tom Willard

Office: Modern Languages 330                         Phone and voice mail: 621-1154

Hours: M 12-1, W 10-11, and by appointment Email: willard@email.arizona.edu

Monday and Wednesday classes meet in Modern Languages 210

Friday classes meet in Modern Languages 412

Catalogue description: “This junior-level proseminar introduces students to methods and materials of literary research. Content of individual seminars will vary, based upon instructor.” This section will focus on the nature of literary classics and literary influence.

Objectives. To complete this course successfully, you must demonstrate understanding at least, and full achievement at best, of seven outcomes. They were framed by a committee of faculty who teach the course; numbers are for reference only and do not suggest relative importance.

1. Make effective use of library resources at the University of Arizona and around the world, recognizing how information is organized and disseminated.

2. Show familiarity with the major databases, essential reference works (such as concordances, dictionaries, and bibliographies), and scholarly articles and books in language and literature as well as related disciplines.

3. Make correct, appropriate, and ethical presentation of research findings.

4. Make fair representation of an author’s work, using paraphrase and quotation appropriately and documenting sources correctly.

5. Summarize, evaluate, and critique secondary sources;

6. Use primary and secondary sources to support original arguments in a variety of ways (e.g., as a point of departure, as theoretical grounding, as historical background, as evidence).

7. Follow MLA guidelines for documentation and conventions (e.g., punctuation, subtitles, endnotes, bibliography), while sustaining a coherent and original argument about one or more texts.

Note: You demonstrate understanding and achievement of an objective by identifying and discussing successful examples from your graded course work. You demonstrate understanding only by identifying relevant examples from your graded course work and describing how you could make them fully successful. You do so in your portfolio of work from this and other courses.

Course plan. The below is only approximate and open to revision as needed.

• During the first half of the course, we will poems related in some way to the seasonal myths. We will review all chapters in the MLA Handbook and selected reference books and resources. Each student will lead discussion of at least one English poem and one classical or biblical source. Each will also choose a poem for inclusion in a class anthology and will prepare an annotated edition of the poem.
• During the second half, as we read poems in the class anthology, each student will lead discussion of the work he or she has edited. Each will write a documented essay on a theme or poet, not necessarily connected to the anthology selections.

Weekly plan. In a typical week, there will be a different emphasis each day.

• Mon.: study of selected poems, to be announced the previously week and found in a reliable online source or in a class anthology.
• Wed.: use of research tools and materials and documentation (MLA) formats.
• Fri.: online research, often in small groups.

Week 1. Jan. 12-14

Wed. Introduction. Poem by Graves (from handout)

Fri. Introduction to the COHLab, Sabio Gateway, Literature Online, Perseus Project. Project 1 due: Self-assessment

Week 2. Jan. 17-21.

Wed. Spring poems (anastrophe: the earthly Eros)

Fri. Oxford English Dictionary Online. Project 2 due: Response to reference article

Week 3: Jan. 24-28

Mon. Spring poems

Wed. MLA Handbook, chapter 1 and appendices (1-63, 289-90, 319-21)

Fri. University of Arizona Computer Based Training (UACBT)

Week 4: Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

Mon. Summer poems (catastrophe: laments for Adonis)

Wed. Project 3 due: OED exercise

Fri. Literature Resource Center

Week 5: Feb. 7-11

Mon. Summer poems

Wed. MLA Handbook, chapters 2-3

Fri. MLA International Bibliography; EBSCO

Week 6: Feb. 14-18

Mon. Fall poems (katabasis: Hermes Psychopomp)

Wed. MLA Handbook, chapter 4. Project 4 due: background on a myth

Fri.

Week 7: Feb. 21-25

Mon. Fall poems

Wed. MLA Handbook, chapter 5

Fri. Midterm quiz. 50 minutes. (Open book, open notes, open Internet access)

Week 8: Feb. 28-Mar. 4

Mon. Reading: Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Wed. Film screening. Project 5 due: background on a poet

Fri.: Film screening

Week 9: Mar. 7-11

Mon. Winter poems (anastrophe: Prometheus unbound)

Wed. MLA Handbook, chapters 6-7

Fri. T.B.A.

SPRING BREAK

Week 10: Mar. 21-25

Winter poems  Edited poem due Fri.

Week 11: Mar. 28-Apr. 1

Winter poems. Class anthology available at Fast Copy on Fri.

Week 12: Apr. 4-8

Readings chosen by class members

Week 13: Apr. 11-15

Readings chosen by class members. Documented essay due Fri.

Week 14: Apr. 18-22

Readings chosen by class members

Week 15: Apr. 25-29

Readings chosen by class members. Portfolio due Mon.

Week 16: May 2-4. Review

Mon.    Evaluations

Wed.    Sample examination questions

Exam Week: May 9-13

Fri.       Final exam (8:00 – 10:00 in Modern Languages 412)

Requirements (each component is worth 20% of the course grade)

• Quizzes, mostly in class, including a 40-minute quiz on Feb. 25
• Documented essay on a theme or poet. Due Apr. 15
• Edited poem with critical commentary. Due Mar. 25
• Portfolio of projects with reflective letter. Due Apr. 25
• Final examination. May 13

Projects. These five projects will form the core of your portfolio (due Apr. 25). You may revise any of them, but should include all graded versions in the portfolio.

1. Self-assessment. Due Jan. 14. Review the seven learning objectives listed in the syllabus. Write a sentence or two about your understanding of each, including any questions you have about it. Refer to evidence you have from previous courses or abilities you have developed on your own.

2. Response to reference article. Due Jan. 21. Read John B. Vickery’s essay on myth in The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Write an essay of 500 words (give or take 10 percent) on some aspect of the essay. Include appropriate documentation.

3. OED exercise. Due Feb. 2. Read Shakespeare’s poem “The Phoenix and the Turtle.” Look up unfamiliar words or unusual usages in the Oxford English Dictionary Online. Then write an essay of 500 words (give or take 10 percent) on some aspect of the poem, including reference to at least two dictionary entries.

4. Background on a myth. Due Feb. 16. For the myth and poem or fragment assigned to you during the second week of class, collect information and prepare a summary for students who know about poetry and myth but not necessarily about this poet and myth. Write an essay of 500 words (give or take 10 percent) to introduce the myth and background source.

5. Background on a poet. Due Mar. 2. For the poet and poem assigned to you during the second week of class, collect different sorts of background information: biographical, bibliographical, and critical. Then write an essay of 500 words (give or take 10 percent) to introduce the poem; identify mythological allusions, images, or themes; and give suggestions for reading.

Policies. When you take this course, you agree to the following policies. Live electronic links to Internet resources on campus are easily accessible from the online syllabus <http://www.u.arizona.edu/~willard/370A/index.htm>.

• You should be familiar with policies governing courses in the Department of English < http://engladv.web.arizona.edu/pols.html>, including policies on deadlines, standards, and plagiarism.
• You should be familiar with policies governing all courses in the University and enforced by the Dean of Students <http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies/>, including the policy statement on disruptive behavior <http://policy.web.arizona.edu/disrupt.shtml>
• You are allowed three unexcused absences, in addition to absences excused for medical, religious, or athletic reasons.
• You should meet with the instructor about any questions or concerns you have. If you cannot attend one of the open office hours announced in the syllabus, feel free to make an appointment at another time. If you must miss a scheduled appointment, notify the instructor in advance. A “no show” will be treated as an absence from class.
• There will be no make-up quizzes. Make-up exams will be given to be students who have made arrangements in advance or excused absences on the scheduled date.
• You should retain all work returned to you, including all grades and comments; you should keep a copy of each essay you submit.
• The grade of Incomplete (I) will be awarded only under extenuating circumstances such as serious illness. University policy requires that all but one major course component, such as an essay or exam, is completed before the student can receive this grade.

I use the grading system in the university catalogue <http://catalog.arizona.edu/200405/policies/grade.htm>.   However, I believe that several factors figure in determining what is excellent, good,  satisfactory, and so forth: not only marks on quizzes and essays and exams but active  participation in the class, steady and timely work on class assignments, and conscientious  progress to understand and master course goals.     

•  To earn a grade of A in the course you must attend and participate in at least 42 of the 45 class meetings (your mid-semester conference counts as a meeting), complete all requirements on schedule, demonstrate full achievement of all course  goals, and earn at least 88 of the 100 available points on graded work. 

•  To earn a grade of B you must attend at least 40 class meetings and participate in the majority of them, complete all but a two assignments on schedule, demonstrate understanding of all course goals and achievement of most, and earn  at least 78 points on graded work. 

•  To earn a grade of C you must attend at least 38 class meetings, complete all but four assignments on schedule, demonstrate understanding of all course goals and achievement of some, and earn at least 68 points on graded work.

•  To earn a grade of D you must attend at least 36 class meetings, complete no fewer than half the assignments on time, demonstrate understanding of most course goals, and earn at least 58 points on graded work.

 •  To earn a grade of I[ncomplete] you must have completed all but one of the major  course requirements. This grade will be available only under exceptional  circumstances, such as a serious illness.