ENLT 336: European Romanticism

Friedrich, The Wanderer
Caspar David Friedrich, The Wanderer (1818, oil on canvas, Kunsthalle, Hamburg)

Spring 2012: Tuesdays 11:30-12:45 in UN 1010, Thursdays online (sometimes 11:30-12:45)
http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/336s12.html
<http://english.montclair.edu>

Prof. Wendy Nielsen
Office Hours: drop in Tuesdays 2:30-5:30, & by appt. in Dickson Hall 352.
Email: nielsenw@mail . . . 

Texts available at University Bookstore (please use translations selected here):

Additional texts available online and on Blackboard:

Course Description: What were French and German authors writing about before and after Shelley composed Frankenstein? The European Romantic Movement aims to foster understanding of the term “Romantic,” especially as it relates to the fiction, prose, poetry, and drama in Britain, France, Germany, and abroad ca. 1780 to 1830. We will read harbingers of the European Romanticism (Rousseau’s Confessions, and Goethe’s Sufferings of Young Werther); key texts of the period (Goethe’s Faust, Shelley's Frankenstein, and Hoffmann's Sandman); poetry by Droste-Hülshoff, Novalis and Heine; and overlooked writers and artists who influenced major issues of the day like the French Revolution, colonialism, and women’s rights. The class will discuss themes common to Romantic-era writing, such as nature, utopia, freedom, the grotesque, and the uncanny across several fictional genres (poetry, drama, prose, memoir, and novellas). Students will leave the course with an appreciation for the ways in which literary movements transcend national and generic borders. Satisfies pre-1900 (1b)/2011 pre-1900 (1c or 1d), Other Literature (1c), Genre Study (Fiction) and TE 3c, multinational (4a)/2011 International Issues (3a), Gender Studies (4d)/2011 Women and Gender Studies (3c)

Requirements: Click here to get an explanation of my shorthand on Style issues, and my criteria for grading: http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/correction.html

#1: The Spirit of a Democratic Classroom: Respect, Collegiality, and Integrity

#2: Participation (10%): Incl. regular attendance, contribution to class discussion, discussion questions, peer review, in-class and online writing assignments that occur in a timely manner.

#3: Comparative Paper (Topic/description TBA) on 2 texts from Unit I--30%

#4: Portfolio of Close Analyses (CA): (critical intro., 4-5 originals + at least 1 revision that highlights your editing skills, and all original analyses with my comments on them)--30%: Please access the assignment on this page--http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/336-ca.html

#5: Take-home Final Exam or Creative Project (TBA)--30%

Policies: Tentative schedule subject to change; see http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/336s12.html for updates
Date
Class Activities Homework Due
T 1/17
Course + Student Intro.; Timeline; What is Romanticism? Romantic Art Acquire your books, please! Thursday's reading assignment is in the cell below
Unit I: Children of Nature and Sentiment
R 1/19 online asynchronous
Review; French Revolution; Time Line of the French Revolution by Marxists.org; Women & Revolution Read T. Jefferson, Declaration of Independence (1776); Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789); Gouges, Rights of Woman and Citizen (1791; online); & follow directions on Blackboard > Online Classes > 1/19
T 1/24
Review; Rousseau's Discourse; Your Ques.; Natural Law; Configuring computers for Blackboard Collaborate
Read Rousseau, Discourse, 1-44 (Pt. I), DQ #1 (Discourse): Post 1 or more discussion questions (DQ) about Rousseau on Blackboard > Discussion Forum > Rousseau, Discourse (click Add Thread). These questions might include ones you would pose as an instructor of the class, things you are confused about in the reading, or a mix between the two. The purpose of discussion questions is to open a dialogue between you and me; to make this a student-centered classroom; and to help students become better writers by becoming critical thinkers, or people who question what they read. Discussion questions are not evaluated,  are not mandatory, but are taken into consideration for your Participation Grade.  Please feel free to respond to other students' queries if you feel inspired to answer; I will take such responses as extra credit for your Participation Grade (and enjoy reading them, of course). 
R 1/26 online asynchronous
Rev. Rousseau's Discourse Read Rousseau, Discourse, 45-end (Pt. II, perusing ftn. recommended); & follow directions on Blackboard > Online Classes > 1/26
T 1/31
Rev.; Romantic Irony and Nature in Chénier, Lamartine, Droste-Hülshoff, and Goethe; Bb Collaborate; Close Analysis Read Chénier, "When the somber slaughterhouse . . ," and Lamartine "The Village Bell" (70-81 in French Poetry); from German Poems: Droste-Hülshoff: "In the Moss" (131-33) + alt. trans. of "Im Moose"; Goethe: "Little Rose on the Heath" (4) + alt. trans. of "HeidenrösleinDQ #2 (Poetry): Post 1 or more discussion questions about today's reading on Discussion Forum
R 2/2 online synchronous
Rev.: Irony; Fr. Rom.; Myth, Nature, and Religion in Goethe, Hölderlin, Novalis, and Nerval; Close Analysis; Citing Intro.s Read Nerval, "Delfica" (95-7 in Applebaum, French Poetry); from Applebaum, German Poetry: Goethe: "Elf King" (17-9) + alt. trans. of "Erlkönig"; Schiller: "The Magnitude of the World" (27); Hölderlin: "Hyperion's Song of Destiny," "When I was a boy," "Halfway through Life" (55-9) + alt. trans. of Hölderlin; Novalis: "Must the morning . . . " (61-3), "I am journeying over" (63); see other instructions on Blackboard > Online Classes for our first Bb Collaborate/Elluminate session.
T 2/7
Review; Dead/Deadly Women in Hugo, Musset, Heine, and Goethe Read Hugo 89-93 and Musset, "On a Dead Woman" (99-103 in Applebaum, French Poetry); from German Poems: Goethe, "The Fisherman" (12-5); Heine: "I don't know . . . " (141-43), "Morphine" (146); alt. trans. H. Heine, "Ich weiß nicht . . . " (141-43) and "Morphine;" Close Analysis (CA) #1: Write a Close Analysis about a passage in any one of the poems have read, and bring a hard copy to class, and copy and paste to Blackboard
R 2/9 online synchronous
Goethe, Werther; Close Analyses; Extra Credit
Read Goethe, Werther 1-44
T 2/14
Werther; Voice Board
Read Goethe, Werther 45-96; CA #2 (Werther): Write a Close Analysis about a passage in Werther and bring a hard copy to class, and copy and paste to Blackboard
R 2/16 online asynchronous
Confessions (Bk 1)  Read Rousseau, 1-43
T 2/21
Rev.; Stud. Ques.; Confessions (Bk 2, 3); Comparative Paper assigned Read Rousseau, 44-128; DQ #3 (Confessions): Post 1 or more discussion questions about today's reading on Discussion Forum 
R 2/23 online synchronous Confessions (Bk 4-5)
Read Rousseau, 160-62, 172-219; CA #3 (Rousseau): Write a Close Analysis about a passage in Confessions
T 2/28
Confessions (Bk 6-8) Read Rousseau, 220-40, 255-73, 307-39, & 344-70; post Paper Proposal: 5-25 sentences about which texts you will write about, ques. you will address, and any ques. you have for me. In the subject line put the prompt number you’re responding to and 4w2 if you want instructor's feedback. 
R 3/1 online synchronous Confessions (Bk 8 & 12)  Read Rousseau 371-91, 592-642 
T 3/6
Comparative Paper editing-- meet in UN 1121 Copy and paste rough draft (at least 2 pages) on Blackboard/Assignments and put 4w2 in the subject line (in addition to subj. of your paper) if you want instructor's feedback. Bring a hard copy of your paper just in case, please.
R 3/8 online asynchronous
Comparative Paper due by Fri. 3/9 by 9am
Final draft due on Safe Assign (details on Bb > Assignments)
Spring Break, and then Unit II: Students of Science and Magic
T 3/20
Science; Party Game; The Sandman Read E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Sandman (Bb); CA #4 (Hoffmann): Write a Close Analysis about a passage in The Sandman


R 3/22 online synchronous
Review; The Uncanny

Read S. Freud, "The Uncanny" (Bb), but maintain access to Hoffmann 


T 3/27
Faust I; Two Souls Read Goethe 9-54 (245-2070/"Prologue in Heaven" through "Study")
R 3/29 online asynchronous
Faust I: Lecture 1 & Lecture 2 Read Goethe 55-101 (2075-3585/thr. "At the Well")
T 4/3 Review; end of Faust I; Faust II, Act I; Performing Faust II
Read Goethe 102-19 & 126-35 (3590-4220 & Dreary Day - 4610/end Pt. I but skip Walp. Night Dream), 135 (4615/first few lines of Faust II, "Charming Landscape"), 142-46 (4895-5000/Imp. Res.), 170-79 (5970/end of Spac. Hall + Pleasance - 6305/Dark Gallery), and 182-86 (6380-6565/Hall), and DQ #4 (Faust): Post 1 or more discussion questions about today's reading on Discussion Forum
R 4/5 online synchronous
Faust & Romanticism; Faust II, Act II Read Goethe 194-213 + 219-240 (6570-7490 + 7695-8485/most of Act II)
T 4/10
Faust II, Act III; Doubling/Divine; Faust Game; Final Exam or Project assigned
Read Goethe 241-71 (8490-9575) 275-85 (9695-10035/end of Act III); Hamlin, "Faust in Performance" (Bb)
R 4/12 online asynchronous Faust II, Act V Read Goethe 313-344 (11045-12110/all of Act V); CA #5 (Faust): Write a Close Analysis about a passage in Faust and post to Bb by 2:30pm
T 4/17
Review; Shelley, Frankenstein;  v. 1 Read Shelley 5-58; DQ #5 (Shelley): Post 1 or more discussion questions about today's reading on Discussion Forum; last day to turn in Extra Credit
R 4/19 online synchronous Frankenstein, v. 2 Read Shelley 59-101
T 4/24
Disc. of Portfolio work; Disc. of Final Exam or Project
Portfolio of Close Analyses due; Optional: Staple/clip old and/or new discussion questions and submit as a Participation Packet (separate and NOT attached to Portfolio, please); this is the last day to turn in any late material this semester. 
R 4/26 online synchronous
Review; Frankenstein, v. 3 Read Shelley 103-56; Post your plans for the Final Exam or Project on Blackboard
T 5/8 1-2pm
Discussion of exams and projects in UN 1010; Portfolios returned
Upload exam or projects to Safe Assign by noon