This course covers British literature from the Romantic period to the 20th century. It will be a reading and writing intensive course that focuses on close reading, analysis and interpretation of texts within their historical contexts. Students will develop their skills in discussion, analysis and communication about literature. Assessment will include class participation, discussion starters, exams, a scholarly article review and presentation, a literary analysis paper, and a final project with presentation. The course emphasizes active learning and participation over lectures.

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Syllabus
Instructor: Victoria M. Arthur, PhD Email: varthur@uidaho.edu
Office: Brink 229
Course Description
This course covers British literature from the Romantic period to the twentieth century. Its
purpose is to provide a cultural and historical framework within which to explore a range of
literary texts as we practice the interpretive and communicative skills necessary to join
effectively in the discussion of literature. Though I try to focus our reading selections as
much as possible, given the overwhelming number of texts to choose from, and the very
limited time we have to study them, this will be a reading and writing intensive course. I
recommend that you plan plenty of time to read, re-read and write.
Be aware that this is not a lecture course. I believe that students learn through active
participation, careful reading and consideration on their own, discussion of their ideas with
their peers and instructors, and exploratory writing. So, while it is my job to provide a
supportive environment and appropriate learning tasks, it is your responsibility to come to
class having read (and thought about) the texts and ready to participate in discussion, and to
use the writing assignments as an opportunity to develop your understanding and ideas.
Though clichéd, it is true that you will only get out of this class what you put into it.
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to illustrate the importance of
cultural and historical contexts in the study of literature through oral and written close
reading, analysis, and interpretation of a variety of literary texts written during the nineteenth
and twentieth centuries.
Learning Outcomes
1. Learn and Integrate – Students will attain, use, and develop knowledge about a
range of Romantic, Victorian, and 20th Century literary texts taking into account the
cultural and historical contexts within which they were produced.
2. Think and Create – Students will learn and practice the skills of close reading and
literary interpretation and apply them to analyzing (and possibly producing) literary
texts.
3. Communicate – Students will learn how to participate in the scholarly conversations
about literary texts.
4. Clarify Purpose and Perspective – Students will explore a variety of literary voices
and perspectives to foster an understanding of self, relationships, and diverse global
perspectives.

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Texts and Materials
Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th
ed.
Vol. D – The Romantic Period (ISBN: 0-393-91252-4)
Vol. E – The Victorian Age (ISBN: 0-393-91253-1)
Vol. F – The Twentieth Century and After (ISBN: 0-393-91254-8)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Penguin Classics; ISBN: 9 780141 43 9471)
Hard Times by Charles Dickens (Penguin Classics; ISBN: 9 780141 439679)
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Anchor; ISBN: 0-385-47454-7)
Course Expectations
• Class Preparation and Active Participation (50 points)
My philosophy of teaching is that students are active agents of their own learning
rather than passive vessels to be filled by listening to me lecture. Therefore, this is an
active learning, discussion-based course. The success of this class is highly dependent
upon each of you pulling your own weight by sharing your ideas and interpretations
as well as your questions and difficulties during class discussions. The minimum
expectations are that you will have completed the reading before class, attend class,
and energetically engage in discussions and class activities. You will be expected to
do your own thinking while also respectfully considering other’s ideas and values
(see “UI Classroom Learning Civility Clause” below).
• Discussion Starters (approx. 10 @ 10 points each)
One way that students are responsible for their learning in this class is through
discussion starters, which are informal reading responses of at least 250 words that
develop one or more discussion-oriented questions that the writer thinks the class
should consider. The goal of this informal writing is to provide an opportunity to
practice thinking clearly and specifically about literary texts and to prepare questions
and/or potential interpretations to spark class discussion. Each student will be
responsible for one discussion starter per week (you will be assigned to Monday,
Wednesday or Friday) and should be prepared to be called on randomly during the
semester to share. Discussions must be posted to Bblearn by 9:00am.
• 2 Exams (100 points each)
Primarily short answer exam questions for the Romantic and Victorian periods.
• Scholarly Article Review and Presentation (100 points)
To explore the scholarly conversations surrounding the novels we will be reading,
students (in pairs, if they choose) will choose one piece from the “Criticism” section
of the Norton Critical Edition of Frankenstein, Hard Times, Mrs. Dalloway, or Things
Fall Apart to report on. (These should be available in the UI Library, but I also have a
copy of each that you may borrow for a short time to make a copy.) Students will be

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responsible for developing a one-page handout (to distribute to the class) that outlines
the important points of the piece and will “represent” the criticism in discussion with
the students writing about the other criticism regarding that novel.
• Literary Analysis (100 points)
A standard 6- to 7-page literary analysis on a text or texts from whichever literary
period (or combination of periods) you choose. Two pre-writing assignments
(practice thesis statements and a draft plan for a literary analysis) are worth an
additional 30 points.
• Final Project and Presentation (100 points)
This may be another (but longer, 10 page) literary (or biographical or historical)
analysis or a self-selected project (approved by me) that requires a comparable
amount of work and illustrates your understanding of the course material in a way
that is meaningful to your education, such as: a creative piece on a contemporary
topic using a style and genre we have studied, or a lesson plan covering a topic from
this course appropriate for a grade you hope to teach. All projects (other than
academic essays) must be accompanied by an artist’s statement that explains how the
project relates both to course content and your learning. We will have a project fair
(in lieu of a final exam) to share your projects with each other during the last week of
class.
• We may have pop reading quizzes if I deem it necessary. The most effective way to
make sure I don’t deem it necessary is to regularly demonstrate that you have done
the reading by actively participating in class discussion.
• No late work will be accepted unless previously approved.
Class Policies
• University of Idaho Classroom Learning Civility Clause
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members
feel as free and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that
everyone in this course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an
understanding that all of us (students, instructors, professors, guests, and teaching
assistants) will be respectful and civil to one another in discussion, in action, in
teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility
and respect, please meet with me during office hours to discuss your concern.
Additional resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the
Dean of Students office and staff (5-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s
confidential services (5-6716), or the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, &
Inclusion (5-4285).

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• Plagiarism
It is academically dishonest, and sometimes illegal, to present someone else’s ideas or
writing as your own. Ignorance is not a defense: it is your responsibility to make sure
you use proper citation, so get assistance (from me, for example) if you are unsure.
Sometimes students plagiarize because they do not feel they can complete the
assignment. If you have concerns about the quality of your work or your ability to
meet deadlines, please talk to me about it. There is always a better alternative than
plagiarism, which may cause you to fail the assignment or the course and will be
reported to the Dean of Students. For more information see the Plagiarism Policy on
the English Department website:
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/english/comp/plagiarism.htm.
• Disability Accommodation
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented
temporary or permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through
the Center for Disability Access and Resources located in the Bruce M. Pitman
Center, Suite 127 in order to notify your instructor(s) as soon as possible regarding
accommodation(s) needed for the course.
Phone: 208-885-6307
E-mail: cdar@uidaho.edu
Website: www.uidaho.edu/current-students/cdar