| English
454 Special Topics: American Epic
Summer, 1998 |
Dr. Jeremy Downes |
 Description |
Grading |
Texts |
Schedule |
List
of Epics |
| Projects |
HyperEpos |
Characteristics |
Bibliography |
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Course Description, Objectives
Not to be outdone by earlier, aristocratic poems of love, war, and empire, American poets have sought for over two centuries to craft the American epic. But how do you sing the modern epic, and "mirror this modernity"? How celebrate democracy (the man en masse) in an ancient, elitist genre? How do you handle the epic "machinery" (the gods and goddesses and so forth) in a secular society? These and many other problems are handled in different ways, leading one critic, at least, to describe American epic as that "strange, amorphous, anomalous, self-contradictory thing." In this course, we’ll try to give this "thing" some shape, to outline some of the problems encountered, and some of the variety of strategic responses used by Americans in their repeated quests for an epic, for that "supreme fiction." In addition to reading and discussion of the core texts for the course, students will have the opportunity to adopt an epic of their choice for further exploration.
Course Requirements and Grading
Final Exam (20%)
Midterm Examination (10%)
Short essay (3-5 pages): Each student will develop a sharply defined essay
question or strong thesis for each core text, to be turned in on
the day after we finish each text (1 paragraph each; 5%, but missing more
than 3 of these responses will result in failure of the course). However,
you will write only one essay, choosing the text and thesis which
seems most interesting and useful. I strongly recommend that you write
this essay early in the quarter. (10%)
Independent project
on an American epic of your choice. This may be linked to the group presentation,
but does not have to be. The various stages in this project of research
and writing (conferences, bibliography, preliminary drafts) will contribute
to the project grade. (20%)
Presentation: Each group will select an epic not on the syllabus,
provide sample sections to the entire class the day before their presentation,
and then lead a class session on their chosen epic. See handout and list
of epics. (15%)
Participation: Active involvement in the course is essential; this includes
participation in daily discussion, thoughtful reading, and serious engagement
with both group projects and the work of the class as a whole. (20%)
Attendance: Five or more unexcused absences will result in failure of the
course.
Additional writing, reading, quizzes, or oral presentations may be required
as necessary.
*Any student who needs special accommodations in class should make an appointment with me.*
| June 17-19: | Introductions,
Handouts (If you cannot attend, please pick up reading, Haley 8076)
Reading Day: Princeton Encyclopedia, "Epic"/ Michael Wigglesworth, excerpts from The Day of Doom Reading Day: Joel Barlow, excerpts from The Columbiad |
| June 22-26: | Reading
Day: Timothy Dwight, excerpts from The Conquest of Canaan
Discussion: Traditional Epic. Begin reading Whitman (1-224) Discussion: Early American Epic Discussion: Contemporary scholarship on American epic Whitman, Leaves of Grass, 1-91: Focus on "Song of Myself" |
| June 29- July 3: | Whitman,
92-224: Focus on "Song of Myself"
92-224: Focus on "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" 225-322: Focus on "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" Focus on "Drum-Taps" |
| July 6-10: | Whitman
323-361: Focus on "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d"
323-361: Focus on "Passage to India" 361-456: Focus on "A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads" Midterm Examination. Whitman, conclusions. Student selected text: Eliot, The Waste Land |
| July 13-17: | Meek,
The Red Eagle, 2-22
24-42 43-57 Reading Day: Independent Project Student selected text: Longfellow, Song of Hiawatha |
| July 20-25: | The
Red Record, 51-79
Project conferences by this point. 140-181 Reading Day: Independent Project Student selected text: Brooks, A Street in Bronzeville. Project Thesis due |
| July 27-31: | Crane,
The Bridge, "Proem," "Ave Maria"
"Powhatan’s Daughter" "Powhatan’s Daughter" "Cutty Sark" Student selected text: Hughes, Montage of a Dream Deferred. Project Bibliography due |
| August 3-7: | "Cape
Hatteras"
"The Tunnel," "Atlantis" Reading Day: Pinsky Pinsky, An Explanation of America Student selected text: Berryman, Homage to Mistress Bradstreet. Project Draft due. |
| August 10-14 | Peer Review
Day
Hudgins, After the Lost War, 1-74 75-132 Reading Day: Independent Project/Doubiago Student selected text: Ginsberg, Howl |
| August 17-21 | Doubiago,
South America Mi Hija, 1-69. Project Due.
Reading Day: Doubiago 70-202 203-284 Last Class Day: Conclusions, Review |
| Description |
Grading |
Texts |
Schedule |
List
of Epics |
| Projects |
HyperEpos |
Characteristics |
Bibliography |
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of Page |