HON 101-1: Great Books & Ideas II-1: Making Modern Worlds (Spring 2009)

Honors 101-03 (Spring 2009): 12286
MW 1-2:15 in College Hall 121
http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/hnrs09.html

Prof. Wendy Nielsen
Office Hours: M 4-5:30, W 10-11:30, & by appt. in Dickson Hall 352
Email: nielsenw@mail . . . 

Texts available at University Bookstore (please use translations selected here):
Additional Texts Available on Blackboard (Bb):
Course description: This course introduces students to major works of world literature before 1900, from the Early Modern (Renaissance, Restoration) period through the early nineteenth century (eighteenth century, Sturm und Drang, Romanticism). This first-year seminar is subtitled “Making Modern Worlds” because our reading charts authors' engagement with creating new scientific, utopian, psychological, and colonial worlds. Authors include Francis Bacon (New Atlantis), Margaret Cavendish (The Blazing World), Voltaire (Candide), Rousseau (Confessions), and Goethe (Sufferings of Young Werther and Faust). Our thematic focus will be the formation of identity through gender, class, and racial roles. Students will leave this seminar with additional appreciation for the ways in which educational history privileges the works of certain writers and thinkers to endure throughout the ages.

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 (incl. regular attendance, contribution to class discussion, discussion questions, peer review)--10%:
#3: Journal Portfolio (critical intro., your 3 best ones, + at least 1 revision that highlights your editing skills)--25%: Students will write at least one entry for nearly every text we read. Each entry begins with any key passage from the primary text. After copying this passage, write a 1-2 page (250-400 word) close analysis. You are encouraged to use these entries as an opportunity to develop skills in close analysis and to track key themes, techniques, or issues in a literary text. Journals are not graded until they are presented in a revised Journal Portfolio (see below). Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well, so that other students can learn from your work. Owing to scheduling difficulties, I am afraid I am NOT able to read late journal entries, although I do expect to see them in the final Portfolio. I will NOT accept emailed journal entries. If you cannot attend class, I suggest you ask a fellow participant to bring your hard copy to class. If you are unable to turn in your journal on time, I suggest you ask a fellow student to read and evaluate the work-in-progress. Always include a Works Cited of all sources cited and referenced.

The final Journal Portfolio includes a c
ritical intro., your 3 best ones (only), including at least 1 revision that highlights your editing skills. The cover letter should self-evaluate your own Journals and address the following questions: How have these writing exercises aided your thinking this semester? What are the strengths and weaknesses of your journals? What is your best journal entry, and why? What grade would you give yourself for this assignment? Consider the following guidelines in averaging your grade:
Although you are only required to revise one journal entry, if you revise 2 of the others, I will reevaluate them. Immediately following the cover letter, place your mandatory revised journal, any other revised journals, and original graded copies of the top 3 journals you are submitting (if avail.). Here’s a final list of everything you should include the following in this order: 1) Cover letter; 2) Mandatory revised journal; 3) Any other revised journals; 4) Original Journals (if avail.). Only submit your top 3 journals; if you submit more than 3 journals, I wlll still only grade and evaluate the first 3 journals in the portfolio. Please simply staple everything together, or use a binder clip. No cover pages, please.

#4: Research Synopsis (RS)--15%: Each student will write one synopsis (similar to an annotated bibliographical entry) on a critical, scholarly article. The purpose of this assignment is to provide yourself and other students with authoritative information about these books. Therefore, we will post this material on Blackboard/Discussion Board, and you must present your synopsis in class on the assigned day (or have 5 points deducted from the final total). After reading, digesting, and thinking critically about your assigned essay, answer the following questions, in about 1 to 2 pages: 1) What is the author’s argument? 2) How does the author support this argument? What kinds of evidence does she use? 3) What does the author hope to accomplish by writing this piece? What kind of bias might the author have? 4) Who is the author’s audience? To what kind of scholarly debate is she contributing? 5) How does this research change your perspective on the primary work? IMPORTANT EVALUATION NOTE: You must distinguish between your ideas and those of the authors you are reporting on. You must cite every time you report an author's ideas, not only by citing page numbers, but also by indicating through words and phrasing ("According to Smith's book Literature . . . "; "The author of this article argues . . . ") that you are reporting second-hand information. Failure to do so could result in a 0 on this paper, because pretending another's ideas are your own constitutes plagiarism. The synopsis should conclude with a Works Cited, of both the article you summarize, and the primary text to which it refers.

#5: 3 in-class essay exams--50% total (#1 = 10%, #2 = 20%, #3 = 20%): At the end of each unit, students will write an in-class essay exam on the two primary texts read for that unit. These exams are open-book, the exam questions are given ahead of time, and you may have one page of notes (outline-form only). If you choose, you may rewrite one of these essays during finals week for a new evaluation.

Policies: Tentative schedule subject to change; please check your Montclair email and <http://chss.montclair.edu/~nielsenw/hnrs09.html> for updates
Date
Class Activities
Reading / Homework Due
1. W 1/21 Course + student intro.
Monday's reading assignment is in the cell below
Unit I: Early Modern Utopias (Renaissance through Restoration)
2. M 1/26 New Atlantis Read F. Bacon, New Atlantis (pdf on Blackboard); DISC. #1: Bring 3 ORIGINAL discussion ques. to class (will be collected), either 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 evaluated on a check (average, show you did the reading), check plus (insightful, original, possibly brilliant, probably shared during class), or check minus (you didn't do the reading or simply copied questions discussed in class) basis. Discussion questions are not mandatory but are taken into consideration for your Participation Grade.
3. W 1/28 Blazing World Read Cavendish, ix (0) - xv, 119-155; DISC. #2: Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected).
4. M 2/2 Blazing World Read Cavendish, 156-225 JOURNAL #1: Write a close analysis of a passage from New Atlantis and/or Blazing World. NB: When more than one text is available to write about, you may choose your own scope; I don't expect you to write about both, but you may if you wish. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Blackboard/Discussion as well.
5. W 2/4 Review for Exam #1: Early Modern Utopias; Research Synopses 1, 2, & 3
Bring any questions you have about Bacon or Cavendish to class; Research Synopsis 1: Price, B., "Intro." Bacon's 'New Atlantis': New Interdisciplinary Essays; RS2: Iyengar, S. "Royalist, Romancist, Racialist;" & RS3: Trubowitz, R., "The Reenchanment of Utopia and the Female Monarchical Self: Margaret Cavendish's Blazing World" (Bb)
6. M 2/9 In-class Exam #1: Early Modern Utopias Bring Bacon, Cavendish, and one page of notes (written on back of exam) to class. Make-up date Wed. 2/11 10-11:15 in 352 Dickson (office hours); please note that make-up exams are only given to students with a medical note from a physician, or the Dean of Students.
Unit II--The Revolution in Sentiment: Discovering Psychological Worlds (18th c./Sturm und Drang)
7. W 2/11 Confessions (Bk 1)
Read Rousseau, 1-43
8. M 2/16 Confessions (Bk 2, 3)
Read Rousseau, 44-128; DISC. #3:  Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected)
9. 2/18 Confessions (Bk 5)
Read Rousseau 172-219
10. M 2/23 Confessions (Bk 6, sel. from Bk 7)
Read Rousseau 220-66, 307-39
11. W 2/25 Confessions (sel. from 8)
Read Rousseau 344-91 JOURNAL #2: Write a close analysis of a passage from Confessions. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Bb/DB.
12. M 3/2 Werther Read Goethe 1-61; DISC. #3: Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected)
13. W 3/4 Werther   
Read Goethe 62-96
14. M 3/9 Review for Exam #2: The Revolution in Sentiment: Discovering Psychological Worlds; RS 4 & 5 Bring ques. about Rousseau and Goethe to class; bring journal entry, and texts, in order to review; RS4: Herbold, S. "Rousseau's Dance of Veils;" & RS5: Bennett, B., "Goethe's Werther" (Bb)
15. W 3/11 In-class Essay Exam #2: The Revolution in Sentiment: Discovering Psychological Worlds-- NO MAKE-UP DATES!
Bring Rousseau, Goethe, and one page of notes (written on back of exam) to class.
Unit III: A Rational Revolution? Conquering New Worlds
16. M 3/23 Reading Day (class canceled)
Read ahead
17. W 3/25 Candide
Read Voltaire, 1-56; DISC. #4: Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected)
18. M 3/30 Candide; about Faust
Read Voltaire, 56-89 & Kaufman's introduction to Goethe, 1-61; JOURNAL #3Write a close analysis of a passage from Candide. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Bb/DB. 
19. W 4/1 Faust I Read Goethe, 65-123
20. M 4/6 Faust I Read 125-209;  DISC. #5: Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected)
21. W 4/8 Faust I Read 209-263; JOURNAL #4Write a close analysis of a passage from Faust. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Bb/DB.
22. M 4/13 Faust I Read Goethe 263-359; DISC. #6: Bring 3 original discussion ques. to class (will be collected)
23. W 4/15 Faust I Read Goethe 359-421
24. M 4/20 Faust II
Read Goethe 423-503; JOURNAL #5: Write a close analysis of a passage (after p. 263) from Faust. Bring a copy to class and post your response to Bb/DB.
25. W 4/22 Faust in Performance
Read Hamlin, C., "Faust in Performance" (Bb)
26. M 4/27 Review for Exam #3: Conquering New Worlds; RS 6 &7
Bring any questions about Voltaire, Rousseau, or Goethe to class; RS6: Brown, J. K. "Faust" & RS7: at least 10 pages from one or more of the interpretive essays at the back of Candide (list each item separately in the Works Cited, alongside the orig. publication info. of each excerpted piece, which should be cited as "Rpt. . . . ")
27. W 4/29 In-class Exam #3: Conquering New Worlds
Bring Voltaire, Rousseau, two Goethe books, and one page of notes (written on back of exam sheet); make-up date = 5/11 3:15 to 4:30 in College Hall 121 (Finals Week); please note that make-up exams are only given to students with a medical note from a physician, or the Dean of Students.
28. M 5/4 Exam returned
Journal Portfolio due; optional (and separate): Participation Portfolio (all discussion questions, incl. new/late ones, old ones, simply stapled or clipped) due; Part. Port. is not accepted after this date
5/11
Optional: Rewrite your lowest-scoring exam from 3:30 to 4:45 in 121 College Hall
Please notify me that you want to take advantage of this option.