Spring Semester 2006
Brother Anthony (An Sonjae)
12-156 Satire
Tuesday / Thursday 2 - 3:15pm
In this class we shall follow the development of Satire in British literature
from its first beginnings in Greek (Aristophanes and Plato) and Latin
(Horace and Juvenal) classics, through English renaissance writings to the
Augustan period (Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope, Hogarth), to the
modern period (George Orwell, etc)
The main textbook until midterm will be the Norton Anthology of English Literature Volume One
This long article on the Definition and Varieties of Satire needs to be read carefully and thoughtfully.
Distinguish between: satire, burlesque, parody, travesty, mockery,
exaggeration, caricature, cartoon, lampoon, takeoff, spoof, irony,
sarcasm, ridicule, making fun of something, laughing at someone,
taunting, sneering
Week 1 (No class on Tuesday) Introduction to the course
Week 2 Introduction continued: Aristophanes' Clouds (summary). (A lecture about the satire in Aristophanes' Clouds with link to play text.)
Horatian satire, Juvenalian satire, Lucian A True Story and Philosophies for Sale. Socrates' Defence and the death of Socrates (by Plato)
Extracts from Plato's Republic (Full text of Plato's Republic) (A lecture about poesis in The Republic)
How should we imagine an alternative form of society?
Weeks 3 & 4 Thomas More Utopia (Introduction and a short summary)
Week 5 Utopia discussion: Is Utopia an eutopia or a dystopia? Jonathan Swift Gulliver's Travels
Week 6 (Gulliver's Travels continued)
Week 7 Discussion: What does Swift's book say about human society? (no class Thursday: Easter)
Week 8 Mid-term Exams
Week 9 George Orwell 1984
Week 10
Week 11 Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice (video)
Week 12 - 13 - 14 Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale (Study guide)
Week 15 (No class Tuesday 6.6) Conclusion
Assignments: The topic for the Mid-semester paper will be "Compare the kinds of satire found in Utopia and Gulliver's Travels. Discuss how each work should be understood today.
The topic for the Final paper will be "After reading 2 dystopias" a comparison the two works of 20th century satirical fiction looked at in class.
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There will be a mid-term and final exam.