ENG 217.25: Introduction to Literature Dr. Andrew Smyth
Fall 2007 Office: EN D278
TR 3:15-4:30 203-392-5113
EN B220 smytha2@southernct.edu
Office Hours:
TR 12-1, W 4-6, and by Appointment
“Anglo-Irish Identities in Literature”
Macmorris: What ish my nation? Ish a villain, and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal! What ish my nation? Who talks of my nation? (Shakespeare, Henry V, 3.2.121-23)
Ireland’s history and people have been intertwined with England for the last eight hundred years. Joseph Leerssen writes:
Since the twelfth century, the two countries have found themselves linked in a close and generally painful political involvement that culminated, in 1800, in the passing of the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland. Irish resistance to this increasingly confining subordination under the English/British Crown has been frequent in the country's history, and indeed the entire history of Ireland since the middle ages might be written (and has often been written) under the aspect of Irish resistance to English expansionism. The political history of Ireland is to no small extent the history of its confrontation with the neighbouring isle.[1]
This course will examine the often antagonistic relationship between England and Ireland as seen through the literature produced by writers of both nations, and especially by writers whose identities as Irish or English were complicated by the evolving political dynamic of the British Empire. Ultimately, we will ask, along with Shakespeare’s Macmorris above, what constitutes nationality in Ireland. Who is Irish and how has that identity been negotiated over centuries of conflict and confluence?
We will develop answers to these questions by the careful study of fiction, poetry, drama, and historical prose from key points in that 800-year-old relationship. In the process, we will learn how literature in various genres functions in history and acts as a catalyst for historical change. At the same time, you will increase your skills in critical reading of literature and writing about literature. This class is writing-intensive, as you can see below; you should expect writing in every class, and on your own time every week. Some of your commentary will be posted electronically, so it is essential that you have full access to MySCSU.
Grade Breakdown
1. Every week you will write and submit a critical response to the readings that we are doing. The days for submission will vary, and sometimes you will need to post your response to the class site on MySCSU. Occasionally you will be allowed a free, reflective response, but most of the time I will assign you a specific question or set of questions to explore through your reading and writing. You will be evaluated and graded on evidence of critical engagement with the text, depth of insights, and writing quality.
2. Your Literary Analysis Essay will be five pages in length and will investigate in close detail key questions about two texts studied in this course. You will not be using outside research for this assignment, but you will be responding to postings on our class site at MySCSU and to class discussions. You will need to document all citations in proper MLA style.
3. Group Reports will concern historical, political, and social contexts for the literary readings we will do throughout the semester. You will work in groups of three, consult me and a reference librarian in advance for resource ideas, and present your materials to the class in a useful and stimulating fashion. Use photocopies, pictures, the board, music, and other audio-visual aids in your 15-minute presentations. These reports should be well prepared and coordinated. That means practicing them as a group and paying attention to audience needs. Information from the reports will be included in the midterm and final exams and are fair game for quizzes, so all students should take notes and ask questions during and after the reports. Groups must prepare and submit to me a bibliography of all of their sources for the report, and each member must write a one-page report on what she or he contributed to the group presentation.
4. There will be a variety of assignments, discussions, writings, quizzes, and activities in class throughout the semester. You will also be performing scenes from our play, Translations, which will require working with your group both in and out of class.
5. The midterm exam will cover historical contexts, literary comprehension, terminology, and analysis. It will blend objective questions and essay responses.
6. The final exam is comprehensive and will include similar elements as in the midterm plus a culminating essay question.
Texts (Highlighted ones are to be purchased)
Doyle, Roddy. A Star Called Henry. New York: Penguin, 2004. 0143034618.
This contemporary novel, set in the violent period between 1916 and 1922, will serve as an introduction to the course. The main character, Henry, narrates his life from a state of constantly changing personal identity as he fights the English, and ultimately his Irish comrades, in the Irish struggle for independence.
Cambrensis, Geraldus. Selections from The Topography of Ireland, available at http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/topography_ireland.pdf.
Geraldus Cambrensis came to Ireland with the Normans in the 12th century. His prose writings set into motion much of the propaganda and many of the stereotypes that enabled the English to consider the Irish uncivilized savages. Geraldus warns of the dangers of the Norman conquerors of becoming equally uncivilized if they blend too closely with their Irish subjects, thus setting the stage for recurring imperial paranoia on the part of the English.
Kennelly, Brendan. Cromwell. Selections posted on MySCSU.
These poems will be read in conjunction with a historical study of the English suppression of the Irish under Cromwell in the mid-17th century. Kennelly’s ongoing, vituperative dialogue with and channeling of Cromwell provide a powerful sense of the continuing trauma brought on by his brutal campaign in Ireland.
Edgeworth, Maria. The Absentee. Ed. Heidi Thomson and Kim Walker. Intro. Heidi Thomson. Penguin, 1999. New York: Penguin, 2000. 0140436456.
Edgeworth’s novel illuminates the crisis of identity caused by the absentee landlord system through which Ireland was impoverished during the 18th century. Edgeworth, an Anglo-Irish Protestant who was committed to the proper management of land and people in Ireland, is also reacting to the Act of Union that officially brought Ireland into the British Empire at the turn of the 19th century.
Friel, Brian. Translations. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1995. 0571117422.
Originally performed in 1980, Friel’s play chronicles the British efforts to erase Irish identity through topographical surveys and English education in the 19th century. A key figure in the play is Owen, an Irishman who aids the British in their enterprise of erasing the Irish identity.
Yeats, William Butler. Selections available on MySCSU.
With Yeats’s poems, we will return to the early 20th century struggles for Irish independence.
Additional poems, prose tracts, and articles—all photocopied or available electronically.
Class Policies
1. Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory. Many of the events in class (quizzes, group work, play performances, presentations, etc.) cannot be made up after the fact. You are permitted three absences throughout the semester. After that, for each additional absence, you lose half a letter grade from your final grade. Anyone missing nine or more classes will automatically fail for the semester. I do not consider whether an absence is “excused” or “unexcused,” so please do not ask. If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible and get assignments and other important notices. You should speak with fellow members of the class for missed content. Tardiness is disruptive to the class and results in missed assignments and other miscommunications; thus, if I notice it becoming a habit, I will count tardy entrances as absences.
2. Expectations: Issues of identity require careful consideration and discussion in class. It is essential that every student be prepared to participate openly in a well-informed discussion on a daily basis. The following expectations are some of many key ones for promoting productive discussions, and I expect them to be followed at all times:
a. Be prepared. If you haven’t done the assigned reading, writing, and/or posting before each class, you should not come to class. If I notice that you are not prepared, I will mark you absent for the day.
b. Be courteous. Anglo-Irish politics have produced a lot of bloodshed over the past 800 years, but in an academic setting, you need to exhibit totally different modes of behavior and discussion. See “An Effective Class Participant” below for specific guidelines.
c. Turn off and put away all cell phones, pagers, i-pods, and other distracting devices before class starts.
3. Deadlines: All major assignments will come with announced deadlines. Written assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day of the deadline. Late papers will lose half a letter grade per day, starting with anything turned in after class on the assigned due date. MySCSU postings must be made by 11 p.m. on the night before the class when we will discuss them. Late postings will receive zero credit. Be sure to give yourself time to post early, as technical problems after the first week of class are not acceptable excuses.
4. Plagiarism: While much work in and out of class will involve collaboration with your peers, you are expected to maintain an exacting standard of academic honesty in all of your work. Apart from group projects, any work that you turn in must be completely your own. In all submitted works, you must responsibly give credit to all of your sources of information in the accepted style of the field. For English classes, that is the MLA style. I take plagiarism very seriously, even when it is “unintentional,” and will fail you for the assignment and even entire course in egregious cases if you plagiarize anyone else’s work at any time during the semester. In addition, I will automatically refer anyone caught plagiarizing to the Dean’s office for further review and penalties.
Just to make sure that the concept of plagiarism is clear, since the consequences are so severe for it, I offer this definition and explanation: Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of anyone else’s words, composition structures, organization, and/or even ideas without proper documentation. That means that you are guilty of plagiarism, for example, if you see an interpretation of a book online and write out some key ideas from it in your own words, without using parenthetical documentation and a full listing on your Works Cited page. Plagiarism also includes, under the above definition, getting ideas, bits of text, or whole papers from friends, roommates, former students, chat rooms, list-servs, websites, etc., and submitting that work as your own.
5. I believe in providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities on an individualized and flexible basis. If you are a student with a disability, the university's Disability Resource Center (DRC) determines appropriate accommodations through consultation with you. Before you may receive accommodations in this class, you will need to make an appointment with the Disability Resource Center, located in EN C-105A. To speak with me about accommodations, or other concerns, such as medical emergencies or arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment as soon as possible.
An Effective Class Participant[2]:
· has read the assigned material and comes to class prepared to participate
· refers to classmates by name
· listens openly, fully, and actively to the contributions of others
· respects differences of opinions
· speaks to everyone in the class or group and not just to the teacher or leader
· follows up on and refers to comments others have made
· tries to ensure that all voices are heard
· refers back to the text to support and clarify points
· understands that our understandings of culture, literature, politics, and more evolve through interaction with others, and therefore appreciates the importance of her or his contribution
· advances even tentative opinions and thoughts, understanding that sometimes these open the doors to new understandings
· understands that there is never an absolute answer, but a process through which you will see multiple answers—the complexity of possibilities that make up life—the subject of literature.
Tentative Schedule (subject to almost certain change, with due notice given to the class)
Sept. 4: Introduction; Lecture on Irish History
HW for Thursday: Read pp. 3-55 of A Star Called Henry and post a response on MySCSU.
6: Star Called Henry
HW: Read pp. 56-166
11: Star Called Henry; Presentation on 1916 rebellion.
HW: Read pp. 169-206.
13: Star Called Henry; Quiz on 1st half of the book. Group Reports assigned.
HW: Read pp. 207-323. Write a 1- to 2-page response to sex, death, and identity in the novel.
18: Star Called Henry
HW: Read pp. 327-382.
20: Star Called Henry; Quiz on 2nd half of the book.
25: Giraldus Cambrensis
27: Group Report on Medieval Ireland; Giraldus Cambrensis
Oct. 2: Group Report on 16th Century Ireland
4: Spenser, View of the Present State of Ireland
9: Group Report on English Civil War; Poems by Lovelace and Milton
11: Group Report on Cromwell; Poems by Kennelly
16: Group Report on the Battle of the Boyne; Kennelly Poems
18: Jonathan Swift
23: Midterm Exam
25: Group Report on the supposed Protestant Ascendancy
30: Introduction to Maria Edgeworth and The Absentee; Literary Analysis Essay assigned.
Nov. 1: The Absentee; Group Report on The Act of Union
6: The Absentee
8: The Absentee; Group Report on Absentee Landlords
13: The Absentee; Workshop on Literary Analysis Essay—full draft due in class.
15: No Class—Professor at NCTE Conference!
20: Literary Analysis Essay Due; Group Report on the Great Famine; Introduction to Brian Friel and Translations; Scenes for performance assigned.
22: Thanksgiving Holiday—No Class!
27: Translations
29: Translations
Dec. 4: Scene performances
6: Group Report on Irish Independence; William Butler Yeats
11: Group Report on the Troubles of Northern Ireland; Yeats
13: Review and Evaluations
Final Exam (Week of Dec. 15-21) TBA
(see http://www.southernct.edu/academics/finalexamschedule/ after November 20th for an exact schedule)