Overview
This core survey course introduces students to the history of literature in the English language, from early writings from the Anglo-Saxon period in the British Isles to contemporary works from around the English-speaking world. Organized around works representative of major periods, movements, and places in literary history (e.g., medieval, Victorian, American, post-colonial), and supplemented by historical information and documents, the course traces developments in the definition of English as a literary language, the status and role of the writer in society, and the ways in which literary texts are produced and circulate, as each relates and contributes to the understanding of individual texts.
Learning Outcomes
After completing English 200, The History of Literature in English, the student will be able to:
- identify and describe key authors and texts in the history of literature in English from the Middle Ages to the present, and identify major genres and literary techniques that have influenced the development of literature in English;
- recognize the characteristics of the major periods of English literature and of the literary movements associated with each period;
- analyze the role of social and historical contexts in the production, reception and transmission of literature in English;
- explain the historical development of the English language from its origins in Britain to its contemporary role as a global language;
- demonstrate a capacity for sustained and logical argument that builds on textual evidence and manifests itself in a variety of written forms;
- apply critical thinking skills to a variety of written forms including peers’ responses to reflect and evaluate information.
Terms
Evaluation
20% - Fall Essay #1
10% - Fall Close Reading Assignment
10% - Fall/Winter Period Intro and Term Quizzes (5 x 2%)
10% - Fall/Winter Discussion Forums (2 x 5%)
20% - Winter Research Essay #2
30% - Final Proctored Exam
**Evaluation Subject to Change**
Exam Centre Location, Eligibility, and Fees
Students enrolled exclusively in online courses may choose one of two options to write this course's proctored assessments:
You may choose to write the assessments online under supervision of an online proctoring service. A $100 fee will be charged to your SOLUS account. This fee is known as the Off Campus Exam Admin Fee and is applied in SOLUS at the earlier of: term tuition posting date, or the date at which exam writing method is changed to online. The fee is assessed once per ASO course with proctored assessments.
You may choose to write the assessments in-person on ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥ campus in Kingston at no additional charge.
Students enrolled in at least one on-campus course are expected to write this course's proctored assessments on-campus during the scheduled exam time. They will not be permitted to write this course's proctored assessments online.
Students were prompted to indicate their preferred exam writing method when enrolling in the course in SOLUS. The exam writing method may be changed by contacting the ASO Exams Team at aso.exams@queensu.ca.
Information for students writing online assessments
Selected assessments in this course will be administered in onQ using online proctoring provided by a third-party, cloud-based service. This proctoring solution was chosen to support our efforts in maintaining academic integrity when online proctoring is required. ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥ has conducted an extensive privacy and security review of the service and has entered into a binding agreement with terms that address the appropriate collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with Ontario's privacy legislation. To learn more about online proctoring, please see the information provided by the Office of the University Registrar.
If you registered to write online with the service, all information pertaining to the technical requirements and preparation for writing online will be posted in onQ well in advance of your exam.
The use of the service as described is unique to courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science Online. Other Faculties use online proctoring solutions in different ways under different regulations. Students should contact the appropriate Faculty examination team if they have questions.
Timing of Final Examinations
The exam period dates for each Term are listed on the Faculty of Arts and Science webpage under "Important Dates". Student exam schedules for the Fall Term are posted to SOLUS immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday; for the Winter Term they are posted on the Friday before Reading Week, and for the Summer Term they are individually noted on the Arts and Science Online syllabi. Students should not make any travel plans until after the examination schedule has been posted. Exams will not be moved or deferred to accommodate employment, travel/holiday plans or flight reservations. Students experiencing extenuating circumstances preventing them from writing their exams as scheduled should review the information about the Academic Consideration process.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Textbooks
- Abrams, M.H., and Geoffrey Galt Harpham, eds. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 11th ed. CT: Cengage, 2015.
- Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey. 1818. 2nd. ed. Ed. Claire Grogan. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2002.
- Greenblatt, Stephen, et al, eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol 1, 10th ed, (A/B/C). NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012.
- Greenblatt, Stephen, et al, eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol 2, 10th ed, (D/E/F). NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012.
Time Commitment
To complete the readings, assignments, and course activities, students can expect to spend on average, about 18 - 20 hours per week (240 hours per term) on the course.