12 - 047
History of British Culture
Brother Anthony (An Sonjae)
Fall Semester 2007    Wednesday, Friday 13:30


This course is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the historical origins and the development of the literature written in England.

The main text book (available from the 4th-floor Photocopy room  in Xavier Hall) will be :

History of English culture and literature, mainly through poetry, by Brother Anthony

Grading: The two Reports and the two Exams (midterm and final) will have equal value.

If you have questions you may write emails to Brother Anthony

There are many Internet resources available. See my page of links.


Class topics and linked materials

Week 1  (August 29, 31)  Introduction: Prehistoric England, The Roman occupation  A map of Britain    An outline map of Britain

Week 2   (Sept 5, 7) Anglo-Saxon England,  The Wanderer 

Week 3  (Sept 12, 14) The Middle Ages, Chaucer 

Week 4  (Sept 19, 21) The Renaissance, 

Week 5   (No class Sept 26. Sept 28)  Elizabethan England, Shakespeare
    
Week 6   (No class Oct 3. Oct 5) Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing (video)

Week 7    (Oct 10, 12) Early 17th century: John Donne, George Herbert

Week 8   (Oct 17, 19)  The Civil War and the Restoration : John Milton 

Week  9 (Oct 24, 26)  Mid-term Exams

Week 10  (Oct 31, Nov 2) The 18th century, Augustan Poetry : Pope.  Pre-romanticism:  Gray: 

Week 11 (Nov 7, 9)  Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice  (video)

Week 12  (Nov 14, 16) Revolution & Romanticism : William Blake, William Wordsworth, John Keats 

Week 13  (Nov 21, 23) The Victorian age : Robert Browning,   G. M. Hopkins.

Week 14  (Nov 28, 30) 20th century: Thomas Hardy,  Wilfred Owen     

Week 15  (Dec 5, 7)  T. S. Eliot

Week 16 (Dec 12,14) Exams

Assignments : Each student will prepare two reports:

The first report will be on : The transition of British culture from the premodern to the (early) modern (1450 - 1700), focussing on any aspects you think helpful (political structures, literary forms, intellectual life, religion, architecture, philiosophy, music, economy, technology  . . .) and using some pictures to illustrate if possible. The report is due by Tuesday Oct 30.


The second report will be a study of ONE work of 19th OR 20th century British literature, writing about it in its social, historical context

(The second report will be due before the start of the final exam period on Dec 12)