Eng-2005
History of British Culture
Brother Anthony (An Sonjae)
Spring Semester 2009    Wednesday, Friday 13:30


This course is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the history of Britain 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  (March 4, 6)  Introduction: Prehistoric England, The Roman occupation  A map of Britain    An outline map of Britain

Week 2   (March 11, 13) Anglo-Saxon England,  The Wanderer 

Week 3  (March 18, 20) The Middle Ages, Chaucer 

Week 4  (March 25, 27) The Renaissance, 

Week 5   (April 1, 3)  Elizabethan England,
    
Week 6   (April 8, no class Good Friday) Shakespeare

Week 7    (April 15, 17) Early 17th century: John Donne, George Herbert

Week 8    Midterm exams

Week 9   (April 29, May 1)  The Civil War and the Restoration : John Milton 

Week 10  (May 6, 8) The 18th century, Augustan Poetry : Pope.  Pre-romanticism:  Gray: 

Week 11 (May 13, 15)  Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice  (video)

Week 12  (May 20, no class 22?) Revolution & Romanticism : William Blake, William Wordsworth, John Keats 

Week 13  (May 27, 29) The Victorian age : Robert Browning,   G. M. Hopkins.

Week 14  (June 3, 5) 20th century: Thomas Hardy,  Wilfred Owen     

Week 15  (June 10, 12)  T. S. Eliot

Week 16 -17 Exams

Assignments : Each student will prepare two reports:

The first report will be on : The transition of British culture from the medieval to the later renaissance (1450 - 1650), 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 Monday April 27.

 

The second report will be a study of some works of 19th and 20th century British literature, writing about them in their social, historical context. The second report will be due before the start of the final exam period, on June 15