ENGLISH 715 – English and American Catholic Writers

Spring 2010

St. Robert Southwell, SJ.  Poet and martyr.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Bridget Keegan
Email: bmkeegan@creighton.edu
Instructor Website: http://www.bridgetkeegan.com
Office Phone (voice mail equipped): 402-280-2548
Department Phone: 402-280-2822
Office Hours: I am happy to meet immediately before or after class or by appointment

Course Description

For the past generation, much of the study of literature has been driven by identity politics.  Teachers and critics have emphasized the works of women and minorities in an effort to gain a fuller understanding of literary history. In foregrounding and imposing our own modern categories of the secular “holy trinity” of race, class and gender, we may have neglected a category of identity that was absolutely vital to many authors (at least prior to the 20^th century): religious identity. Until quite recently, one’s denominational affiliation was as central to one’s sense of self as one’s sex or skin color – sometimes even more so. 

The emphasis of this course is to look at authors who self-identify as Catholic (or, in the case of Shakespeare, are suspected to be Catholic) and consider how and to what extent issues of religion are relevant in their work.  While religious questions will not be the only topic we discuss, we will work to understand how religion relates to other dimensions of the work in question. We will continue to ask questions about race, class and gender as well. The course will proceed chronologically. In studying texts spanning from the Renaissance to today, we will keep the historical context clearly in view.

A Note on Planning and Scheduling:  Please be aware that the reading load will be heavier some weeks than others (particularly in the second half of the semester) and plan accordingly.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

DETAILED ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS

Weekly Discussion Questions
Because this is a seminar and not a lecture class, the course is heavily dependent upon the quality of engagement of all participants. The majority of our class meeting time should be taken up with lively discussion of a variety of questions and topics raised by the texts for that week. In order to facilitate that discussion, each participant will prepare for each meeting a minimum of three detailed discussion questions for the group to debate.  You will need to post the questions by no later than 9pm on Monday to our Blueline Site for the class to review in advance of our discussions on Tuesday (late postings will be penalized accordingly – earlier postings are strongly encouraged).  Please be sure to read your classmates' questions in advance as well. You should be nominally prepared to offer starting thoughts and lead any discussion you questions foster.  That is to say, you should have thought about some possible answers to your own questions that you can suggest, as well as engaging the questions of others. These questions will be graded each week (out of 10 points).

In order to help you envision the level and specificity of questions you should compose and bring to class, please see the Sample Questions sheet.  While these questions were composed for texts in another course, they should give you some idea of the level of depth and detail required for your weekly questions. I offer these to you as possible models, with thanks to alumna, Natalie Roxburgh, for allowing me to use them.

Class Presentations
During the first week of the semester, you will submit to me a list of the top three authors/works you would like to work on for an in-class presentation.  I will let you know during the first week of class which presentation you have been assigned.  I encourage you to consider choosing one of the earlier texts, and I will be grateful to those who volunteer to present earlier in the term.  For your chosen presentation, you will be responsible for providing more detailed background and a critical analysis of your author/work.  You should also be prepared to field questions about your presentation. Your presentation should be approximately 20-25 minutes in length, and may incorporate other media as you deem appropriate and as enhances your presentation.  At a minimum, you should prepare a one-page handout (which will be posted on our BlueLine site) that encapsulates the important points of your presentation.  As relevant, you are welcome to develop the work you have done toward the presentation toward your final essay. 

Your presentation will be evaluated according to the following criteria. The grading scale is from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent). Please rehearse your presentation in advance to ensure you meet the required time limits.  Should your presentation exceed 25 minutes, I will ask you to finish immediately.

 1  2  3  4  5                         Presenter captured audience attention and fielded questions

1  2  3  4  5                         Presentation had a clear focus and was well-organized

1  2  3  4  5                         Presenter demonstrated thorough knowledge of the topic

1  2  3  4  5                         Presenter demonstrated good oral presentation skills

1  2  3  4  5                         Handout was carefully prepared and effective

Final Essay
At the end of the semester, you will write a full-length scholarly essay that incorporates original interpretation, demonstrates skills in close reading and analysis, and successfully integrates relevant external research and scholarship to fully explore a topic that you have developed, based on the reading done during the semester. Thus, you must write on a subject clearly related to the readings and topic of the course. Your essay may be an extension of your presentation but need not be. I am happy to consult with you privately to help you brainstorm a possible topic to explore. You may wish to skim ahead on the syllabus early in the term, in case one of the authors or topics we will study toward the end of the semester might interest you. 

In order to facilitate the paper writing process, I will ask you to provide a prospectus to me mid-point in the semester, in which you will propose a detailed tentative topic for the final paper and provide a rough plan of research. I will also ask you to make a short presentation (approximately 10 minute) to the class about your paper in the final weeks of the term. These requirements will be graded separately.

PLEASE NOTE: The final paper should be approximately 25 pages in length. It may be a couple (i.e. TWO) pages more or less than that, but substantively fewer pages (i.e., paper of 18 pages) is not acceptable and will severely affect your grade.  If you find that your topic only generate 10 pages of writing, you should reconsider your topic.

You are required to use proper documentation (MLA style), making sure that your final draft is free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style. Be sure to revise your essay attentively, taking care to make your argument logical and easy to follow. When you are rewriting, pay particular attention to style and mechanics. PROOFREAD YOUR ESSAY CAREFULLY. You may wish to have a friend also proofread. Errors of inattention, such as typographical flaws, are easily avoided. When they are left in a paper due to carelessness, they distract and often irritate the reader, making her less willing to follow your argument.  All essays should be typed, double-spaced on standard 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Top, bottom and left margins should be 1", with the right margin (unjustified) approximately 1" also. Type size should be standard 10 or 12 point and printed in letter quality. Put your name and course number in the upper right corner. Do not number the first page, but put a number in the upper right corner of all following pages. All papers should have an appropriate title on the first page. You do not need a binder, folder, or title page. Do not staple your pages; use a paper clip to hold them together.

Again, I am happy to meet with you at any time to discuss possible paper topics, review outlines and thesis statements, and (with adequate advance notice) look over substantial drafts. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need further guidance in writing the major essay. 

I encourage you to write your paper with a view toward publication in a scholarly journal. As a graduate student, you are participating in a wider community of scholars, both in the class and beyond. If, after the semester has ended, you wish to pursue publishing your essay, I would be pleased to work with you in selecting journal to which you may wish to submit your essay and going through the professional process of submitting scholarship for consideration for publication. 

EVALUATION OF CLASS PARTICIPATION

Because this is a seminar, the quality of the class for everyone is in large part dependent on the quality of preparation and visible engagement of each individual participant. While a seminar format creates an atmosphere that naturally facilitates regular discussion, I offer below some more concrete descriptions different levels of participation and classroom citizenship. Please realize that although you may have prepared the readings, and may be actively listening to others, if you do not actively demonstrate your preparation and ideas in discussion, there is no way to see and hence evaluate the quality of your preparation and participation. At two points in the semester, I will ask you to submit a self-evaluation of your seminar participation, and I will provide, in response, a developmental evaluation and provisional grade, to allow you to better achieve your goals for participation.

Below are guidelines to help you attain the participation grade you desire:

A Level: These students are visible and obvious class leaders. Such a student contributes consistently, regularly and enthusiastically to class discussion. But such a student also does not dominate. Talking a lot doesn't guarantee an A. Rather, talking in a way that develops the conversation, builds on the comments of others, and is thoroughly grounded in the text under discussion. A-level participants don't ramble. Perhaps the most noteworthy characteristics of the A participant is that s/he always has very clear evidence from the text (being able to point to relevant passages and concrete details). Moreover, s/he doesn't just talk to the instructor. S/he engages everyone in the class, asks questions or builds on the comments of others, and addresses others' remarks as well as promoting his or her own position. These students are excellent and exceptional in their performance in every class.

B Level: These students contribute regularly to each class meeting. The B-level student has much in common with the A student; what differentiates the two is the degree of consistency of performance. The B student is sometimes a class leader, but not always. The B student is reliable in giving concrete evidence and details, but less specific than the A student. S/he always does good work, usually engages others, but may not do so every class meeting. These students are above average in their contributions in terms of both content and delivery.

C Level: These students give useful and relevant ideas and opinions ; however, they may not tie their ideas with evidence from the text or they may not contribute very frequently. The C student only rarely engages others in the class by asking questions or furthering points. These students are very obviously not the class leaders, although they come prepared to all class meetings and are productive members of the class. They are average in their work, doing only what is required but no more.

D Level: These students are physically present and actively listen, but do not contribute with any regularity, or if they do, their contributions are vague and not carefully articulated. Their preparation and participation is never reliable and they do not make an effort to engage with others in the class.

F Level: These students are often absent. If they attend regularly, they are obviously and frequently unprepared and inattentive. An F-level student may also be one who makes insulting and unproductive comments, talks while others have the floor, or engages in other disruptive or disrespectful behavior. Numerous absences or flagrant rudeness should guarantee a failing grade.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

Your success in this course is predicated upon your active presence in each class meeting. Frequent absences will adversely affect your final grade. Tardiness, even of a few minutes is inconsiderate toward the entire class.  It is your responsibility to attend every class meeting on time. Because we meet only once a week, after more than three absences you risk automatic failure of the course. Also, be aware that tardiness or early departure from three (3) classes is the equivalent of one (1) absence.

Please note: In case of inclement weather, please check your email and the BlueLine site. If the university closes, obviously class will be cancelled.  Regardless of whether or not class is cancelled, if the weather is such that you feel unsafe coming to campus, please let me know.  In cases of bad weather, the above attendance policy will be suspended.  Likewise, although this year’s H1N1 epidemic has thus far been milder than expected, if you feel symptoms of the flu, please send me an email and be sure to stay home until you feel better and are fever free.  In the case of suspected flu, the attendance policy will also be suspended.

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

It is an infringement of academic integrity to cheat on a test or exam, to use papers downloaded off the internet or kept in fraternity or sorority files, or copied from printed books and journals. Plagiarism refers to the use of other people’s ideas (including those of other students and published authors) that are improperly documented, so as to give the reader the impression they are your own. Taking a sentence or paragraph from a work is as bad as copying the entirety of the essay.

The penalty for plagiarism is a failing grade for the course regardless of whether it is a short or a long assignment. College policy also requires that instructors report all incidents of plagiarism to the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s office has the right to impose stronger penalties up to and including expulsion. The Dean’s office keeps a record of confirmed plagiarism cases, and must respond honestly when a graduate program or potential employer attempts to verify a student’s record.

Simply put: there is never a situation where cheating or plagiarism is the right choice. You are disrespecting the institution, the instructor, your classmates and, most of all, yourself. If you are having problems, or feel that you can’t cope, see me first and we will figure out a solution.

Please note: "Double submissions" (i.e., the submission of work written for another course or instructor in college or graduate school), no matter if revised or altered, will be considered a violation of academic honesty and the penalties the same. If you have any questions about these issues, please do not hesitate to ask me for guidance.

COURSE TEXTS

All Texts are available at the Creighton University bookstore or are uploaded onto our Blueline site.  It is essential to purchase the editions specified, as these editions contain important paratextual material which you may wish to (indeed, need to) consult.

Required Texts

John Dryden, Selected Poems (Penguin Classics, 0140439145)

Alexander Pope, Rape of the Lock (Bedford Cultural Editions – Bedford/St. Martin’s) 0312115695.

Elizabeth Inchbald, A Simple Story (Oxford World’s Classics) 0199554722

Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Major Works (Oxford World’s Classics) 0199538859

Graham Greene, The Power and the Glory (Oxford World’s Classics) 0142437301

Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited (Back Bay Books) 0316042994

Flannery O’Connor, The Complete Stories (Farrar Straus and Giroux) 0374515360

Ron Hansen, Exiles (Picador) 0312428340

Uwem Akpan, Say You’re One of Them (Back Bay Books, 0316086371)

Recommended Texts
John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua (Norton Critical Edition) 0393097668.

Class Schedule

Week One (1/19): William Shakespeare (1554-1616), Hamlet (available at http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/full.html).  What/why does it matter if Shakespeare was Catholic?

Week Two (1/26): Robert Southwell (1561-1595), read all poems included on the site: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/southbib.htm and “St. Peters Complaint” (on Blueline)

Mary Ward (1585-1645) – handout on Blueline.  See also “The Painted Life” (http://www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au/faith/ourheritage/paintedlife.html)

Week Three (2/2): Richard Crashaw (1613-1649), read all poems listed on the site: http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/crashaw/crashbib.htm

John Dryden (1631-1700). Selected Poems. Read especially Absalom and Achitophel and The Hind and the Panther

Week Four (2/9): Jesuit Relations and other early American Catholic writers; handout on Blueline. Guest lecture: Dr. Tracy Leavelle, Department of History

Watch Brian Moore’s Black Robe (on reserve at Reinert)

Week Five (2/16): Jane Barker (1652-1732), selected poetry and fiction on Blueline

Week Six (2/23): Alexander Pope, Rape of the Lock (Bedford Cultural Editions.  Read also “Eloisa and Abelard http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1630.html

Week Seven (3/2): Elizabeth Inchbald, A Simple Story

Week Eight (3/16): Continue Inchbald. Orestes Brownson – The Convert, Or Leaves from My Experience (on Google Books on Blueline)

Week Nine (3/23): John Henry Newman, “Dream of Gerontius”; section from “Idea of A University” on “Catholic Literature and the English Tongue” available at http://www.newmanreader.org/.  See also Apologia Pro Vita Sua (recommended).

Week Ten (3/30): Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Major Works

Week Eleven (4/6): Graham Greene,The Power and the Glory

Week Twelve (4/13): Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited

Week Thirteen (4/20): Flannery O’Connor, The Complete Stories

Week Fourteen (4/28): Ron Hansen, Exiles

Week Fifteen (5/4): Uwen Akpan, Say You’re One of Them