Course Overview

Why do we read literature and why should we read it? How can we become better readers, writers, and critical thinkers? This course will provide students with an introduction to the art of literary criticism with a focus on criticism's historical development and on variations between various critical approaches. And, we will apply some of these approaches to representative works of literature. By examining the history of literary criticism, students will expand their repertoire of techniques to use when analyzing literature in courses required for the English major.

Along the way, students will also have opportunities to develop as writers of persuasive, detailed arguments about a literary work's meaning, value, and significance. Writing skills like this are transferable to many, many different areas of the present-day workplace after graduation.

Required Texts

We will be reading the following texts in this course, including selections of reviews and articles in the Norton Critical Edition of Keats's work.

Habib, M. A. R. Literary Studies: A Norton Guide. W. W. Norton, 2020.

Keats, John. Keats's Poetry and Prose. Edited by Jeffrey N. Cox, W. W. Norton, 2008.20.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. 1987. Knopf, Doubleday, 2004.

(See Canvas for an assortment of articles on Beloved.)

Grade Breakdown

Objectives

During the semester will learn to

• Define substantive terms related to literature and literary criticism.

• Trace the evolution of literary criticism through its history as an intellectual activity.

• Adapt different critical approaches to discussions of literary works while considering their value, contexts, genres, and different possible meanings.

• Write convincing arguments about literature addressing the significance of a particular work, its aesthetic qualities, its engagement with different historical periods, what we can learn from it, and other pertinent issues.

• Recall key facts about the works in question.

• Identify and make use of library resources when researching the meaning and historical context of a literary work.

• Use the MLA citation format to provide the correct attribution for other people's ideas.

Student Learning Outcomes for the English Major

UMD English majors develop expertise in the following Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Discuss literary works from a range of movements, periods, genres, and/or regions.

2. Analyze the role of difference (which might include racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, economic, and/or ideological differences) in producing, publishing and interpreting literature.

3. Identify major characteristics of a literary genre and use those characteristics to analyze one or more individual examples.

4. Interpret literary works with close attention to the nuances of language, content, and/or form.

5. Identify a key concept, methodology, approach, or theory and use it to frame the interpretation of text(s).

6. Describe the ways in which texts emerge from and respond to their historical and cultural contexts.

7. Write focused, convincing analytical essays that incorporate relevant secondary sources.

8. Collaborate in the discussion and interpretation of literature by listening to others' perspectives, asking productive questions, and articulating original ideas.

In order to equip English majors to succeed in their major, this course will touch on all of the above Student Learning Outcomes with a special focus on outcomes 3, 4, 5, and 7.

Senior Portfolio. Since most students in this course are English majors and will need to prepare a Senior Portfolio before they graduate, we will spend some time discussing this keystone assignment and beginning to think about what will go into them. You may find portfolio guidance at "https://cahss.d.umn.edu/departments/english-linguistics-writing-studies/english-program/portfolio".

Please remember each year to save all of your academic work in a safe place, so that you can have it on hand when assembling your Senior Portfolio.

Expectations

In order to accomplish these goals, students must

• Read all of the assigned texts carefully in advance of the class day on which we will discuss them.

• Attend each class meeting, arriving on time and prepared to discuss the readings assigned for that day. Students have a responsibility to plan their schedules to avoid excessive conflicts with course requirements.

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of these works in exams and papers. For additional information about policies governing final exams, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/final-examinations".

Written Work. Your grade will depend primarily on your written work and the understanding of the material that you convey through that work. A command of standard written English and the ability to present an argument will also contribute to the determination of your grade.

Late Assignments will receive a deduction of 1/3 of a letter grade for each business day that they are late. Students who miss exams may not make them up without a valid excuse for the absence. Make-up and extra-credit assignments are available on a case-by-case basis and only in the event of extreme circumstances.

Student Academic Integrity. Academic dishonesty tarnishes the reputation of the University of Minnesota Duluth and discredits the accomplishments of its students. Because the university is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit, it must insist on an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. Consequently, all members of the academic community must regard any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which is available online at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/student-academic-integrity". This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.

Disability Accommodations. Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, should inform me at the start of the semester. The Office of Disability Resources writes that "[i]t is the policy and practice of the University of Minnesota Duluth to create inclusive learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities.ÊIf there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or your ability to meet course requirementsÑsuch as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videosÑplease notify the instructor as soon as possible."ÊYou can contact the Office of Disability Resources to discuss and arrange reasonable accommodations by calling 218-726-6130 or by visiting the Disability Resources website at "http://www.d.umn.edu/access/".

Notetaking. Remember that there are rules against disseminating these notes beyond the classroom community, which you can find at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/course-notes-materials".

Attendance. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on the grade that you receive in this course. Excusable absences include "subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness, bereavement for immediate family and NCAA varsity college athletics." Please contact the instructor about anticipated absences in order to minimize their influence on your coursework. For more information on excused absences, see "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/excused-absences".

Student Conduct. Respect fellow students and refrain from behavior that might impair their learning opportunities. Any behavior that substantially and repeatedly interrupts the instructor's ability to teach or the students' ability to learn will result in appropriate penalties. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of communications technology in the classroom, such as ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, reading email, or browsing the Internet instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities. For further clarification of UMD policies in this regard, consult the Board of Regents Policy at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/policies/Student_Conduct_Code.pdf".

Another important conduct code addresses sexual harassment, which means "means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and/or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature," and that policy is available at "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2020-08/policy_sexual_harassment_sexual_assault_stalking_and_relationship_violence.pdf".

Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action. As stated in academic policies: "The University provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs and facilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The UMD Department of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity is available to all UMD employees, students, and participants in University-related activities to discuss issues or concerns regarding University policies or practices involving potential bias, discrimination, harassment or retaliation that an individual may have experienced or observed." For more details, see "https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_equity_diversity_equal_opportunity_and_affirmative_action.pdf".

Civility. UMD instructors and students have a responsibility to maintain a learning environment that is, as stated in the Teaching and Learning Policy, "respectful of the rights and freedoms of all members, and promotes a civil and open exchange of ideas." The full policy is available at "https://evcaa.d.umn.edu/instructor-and-student-responsibilities".

Mental Health. From academic affairs: "Feelings such as anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem, or tension are a normal part of being human and can affect anyone. Sometimes these feelings are temporary and can be eased by rest, relaxation, exercise, good nutrition and the support of trusted friends. At other times, stressors, relationships or past family experiences cannot be managed so easily and become overwhelming. If this happens, and you find it hard to function, you may want to seek professional help. Counseling Services are available at UMD Health Services to assist you.

If you are in need of mental health support when Health Services is closed, or in case of an emergency, please contact The Birch Tree Center's Crisis line at 218-623-1800 or go to the emergency room/urgent care at either St. Luke's Hospital or St. Mary's Hospital. If an ambulance is needed, call 911.

If the emergency is non-life-threatening and you do not have a means of transportation, call Campus Police at 218-726-7000). If you have needs that Counseling Services does not treat, they have a case manager who helps connect students to referrals as well as navigating issues with insurance. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus atÊUMD Health Services" at "https://health-services.d.umn.edu/counseling-services".

Supplementary Texts

The following texts are not required for the course, but will give you some starting points for further exploration of a particular topic.

Literary Criticism

Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. 5th ed., Longman, 2011.

Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction.ÊOxford UP, 1997.

Eagleton, Terry. Marxism and Literary Criticism. U of California P, 1976. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. 1929. Mariner, 1989.

John Keats

Bloom, Harold. "Keats and the Embarrassments of Poetic Tradition." The Ringers in the Tower: Studies in the Romantic Tradition. U of Chicago P, 1971, pp. 71-98.

Brooks, Cleanth. "Keats's Sylvan Historian: History without Footnotes." The Well-Wrought Urn: Studies in the Structure of Poetry. Harcourt, Brace, Jovonovich, 1975, pp. 151-166.

Coote, Stephen. John Keats: A Life. Hodder & Stoughton, 1995.

Motion, Andrew. Keats. U of Chicago P, 1999.

Rajan, Tilottama. Dark Interpreter: The Discourse of Romanticism. Cornell UP, 1980.

Swann, Karen. "Harassing the Muse." Romanticism and Feminisme. Ed. Anne K. Mellor. Indiana UP, 1988, pp. 81-92.

Vendler, Helen. The Odes of John Keats. Harvard UP, 1983.

Toni Morrison

Allen, John J. "On White Theology É and other Lies: Redemptive Communal Narrative in Toni Morrison'sÊBeloved." Literature and Theology, vol. 35, no. 3, September 2021, pp. 285Ð308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/litthe/frab014

Gates, Henry Louis. The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African American Literary Criticism. Oxford UP, 1989.

Jabbur, Adam. "Narrative Properties in Toni Morrison's Beloved." Colloquy, vol. 37, 2019, pp. 3-32. DOI: 10.26180/5c9d92fd6a677

Jennings, La Vinia Delois. Toni Morrison and the Idea of Africa. Cambridge UP, 2008.

Smalley, Matthew. "The Unchurched Preacher and the Circulated Sermon: Literary Preaching in Toni Morrison's Beloved." MELUS: The Journal of the Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, vol. 43, no. 2, June 2018, pp. 29-52. DOI: 10.1093/melus/mly013

Yeates, Robert. "'The Unshriven Dead, Zombies on the Loose': African and Caribbean Religious Heritage in Toni Morrison's Beloved." MFS: Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 62, no. 3, Fall 2015, pp. 515-537. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26421903

Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing & Standards Board (PELSB) Standards

This statement is relevant to students who are majoring in Education:

This course is a requirement of a teacher education major at UMD with assigned PELSB teacher education standards. Please find the standards aligned to this course at: "https://z.umn.edu/pelsbteacherstandards".

Assignment Grading Standards