Senior Seminar in Literature: The Sonnet Sequence
LITT 4610-002
Spring 2009
T TH 6:00-7:50
Housing IV, Commons 100
Thomas Kinsella
Thomas.Kinsella@stockton.edu
J-230, Ext. 4419
Office Hours: T TH 3:00-4:30; and by appointment.
I'm on campus most days.
This is a Writing-Across-The-Curriculum-Course.
Required Texts:
Shakespeare, William. Sonnets. Folger Shakespeare Library. ISBN: 978-0671722876.
Sidney, Philip. Defence of Poesie, Astrophil & Stella. Orien. ISBN: 978-0460876599.
Browning, Elizabeth Barret. Sonnets From Portuguese. Dover. ISBN: 978-0486270524.
Hollander, John. Rhyme's Reason: A Guide to English Verse. Yale. ISBN: 978-0300088328.
Millay, Edna St. Vincent. Fatal Interview. Harper & Brothers, 1931.
Available through www.abebooks.com
The Sonnet through the Ages Blog -- a good spot for class information
Goals & Focus of Course
The working title for this senior seminar is The Sonnet Sequence. As a class we will read four sequences: two from the Renaissance period, one from the nineteenth century, and another from the twentieth century. We are looking for ways to understand our texts as discreet units -- sonnets -- but also as complete works -- sequences. How does meaning shift and play as we change focus between these literary perspectives?
We will be concerned with issues of form, as part of the course is reserved for mastering the structural and evaluative techniques of meter and form. We will also be concerned with more general formalist topics such as meaning at the level of words and phrases, figurative language, and symbolic meanings. Reading a range of secondary works will provide theoretical frameworks through which we may gain additional understanding. It will be our overall task to learn about the potential avenues of meaning offered by sonnet sequences.
Individually, you will choose and analyze a sequence of your own choice, writing a complex, rich, and intelligent thesis that engages with the scholarly debate surrounding your sequence and that clearly explains your own critical understanding.
Depending on the needs of the group, this syllabus is subject to change.
Expectations and Policies
Writing for this course should demonstrate the ability to formulate interesting and intelligent arguments that are both well-supported and well-written. Expectations for this course are high. Below are brief descriptions of ways that I will grade writing in this course.
A: Excellent work. Written arguments are intelligent, creative, logically constructed, and complete; they are well supported with evidence from primary texts and/or theoretical discussions gleaned from secondary texts; prose is uniformly well-written (phrasing and sentences are clear and concise, not awkward, not wordy, diction is appropriate); punctuation and grammar are excellent.
B: Good work. Written arguments are generally well constructed and complete, but some ideas might be developed at further depth; ideas are generally supported with evidence from primary texts and/or theoretical discussions gleaned from secondary texts; prose is generally well-written with a few stylistic weaknesses (a few phrases and sentences are not clear or concise; there are limited amounts of awkward or wordy prose; some diction is inappropriate); punctuation and grammar are good but not excellent.
C: Average work: Written arguments are generally clear but not well constructed or complete in all areas; ideas might be developed in further depth; ideas are asserted but not always supported with evidence from primary texts and/or theoretical discussions; prose displays stylistic weaknesses (phrases and sentences are not clear or concise; prose is places is awkward or wordy; diction us sometimes inappropriate); punctuation and grammar appear to be understood but not consistently applied.
D: Passing work (Note: "C-," "D+", and "D" work is considered passing by the college as a whole and is acceptable for ASD and General Studies courses but not for Literature program courses. Only grades of "C" or above will stand for credit within the literature degree). Written arguments are reasonably understandable but not well constructed or complete; ideas need to be developed in further depth; ideas are not always supported with evidence from primary texts and/or theoretical discussions; prose displays general stylistic weaknesses (phrases and sentences are not clear or concise; prose is often awkward or wordy; diction is inappropriate); punctuation and grammar are inconsistently or incorrectly applied.
F: Failing work (not acceptable for college credit). Written arguments are not reasonably understandable and not well constructed or complete; ideas need to be developed in further depth; ideas are usually not supported with evidence from primary texts and/or theoretical discussions; prose displays a range of stylistic weaknesses (phrases and sentences are not clear or concise; prose is often awkward or wordy; diction is inappropriate); punctuation and grammar do not appear to be understood and are inconsistently applied.
Attendance is imperative. More than 3 absences and your grade will drop one mark; more than 5 and it will drop two marks; more than 7 and you will not pass. Your grades will be determined on the basis of your writing, but attendance and participation are crucial. If you fail to attend class or participate actively, you are unlikely to understand the texts well enough to write a skillful thesis.
All writing should be error-free. You are expected to proofread for typographical, spelling, mechanical, and grammatical errors. On all assignments I will mark down substantially for mechanical and grammatical errors. Proofread and revise vigorously.
It is not my responsibility to make sure that you have handed in all assignments; it is yours.
Academic Honesty
The Literature program expects all work you turn in to be your own. If you are found to have represented the work or ideas of others as your own, intentionally, or unintentionally, you will face serious consequences, as follows:
1. Any student who is found to have plagiarized a paper or assignment, in full or in part, must meet with me.
2. I will review the suspect work with the student.
3. If this is the first time the student has been found to have plagiarized, he/she will receive an "F" for that paper or assignment and/or the course.
4. For second offenses of plagiarism, the student will receive an "F" for the course.
Additionally, in accordance with Stockton College policy, I will report all instances of plagiarism to the Provost of Academic Affairs. Students may be subject to discipline by the college; you may be placed on academic probation or expelled. If it is the final essay that is plagiarized, I will not necessarily meet with the student; I will report the incident to the Provost of Academic Affairs. If you have any questions about plagiarism, I will be glad to discuss them with you.
If you haven't done so already, you should familiarize yourself with Stockton's policy on plagiarism; see the Student Handbook, or here: Policy on Academic Honesty.
Email
Email is an excellent way to contact me. Please remember to provide a coherent subject line. Also, remember to include your name in the text of the email.
January
20 Introduction; ordering Fatal Interview; discussion of road trip to PENN
22 Hollander, through page 26; review of library research
27 Hollander, p. 26 through 70; review of interlibrary loan; Deadline to drop course with 100% refund
29 Meter & Form
February
01 Deadline to file for Spring 2009 graduation application without financial penalty. Apply after reading this page
03 Shakespeare's Sonnets
05 Shakespeare's Sonnets
10 Shakespeare's Sonnets
12 Strange Outage Vacation
17 Shakespeare's Sonnets
19 Astrophil & Stella; read article 7 in Criticism on blog
20 Deadline to withdraw from a full-term course with a 50% refund
24 Reports on assigned sonnet sequences
26 Reports on assigned sonnet sequences
March
03 Reports on assigned sonnet sequences
05 Astrophil & Stella; read article 3 in Criticism on blog
10 Astrophil & Stella; read articles 5 & 6 in Criticism on blog;Theses Proposals with preliminary bibliography are due on this date
12 Astrophil & Stella; read articles 1 & 2 in Criticism on blog
15-22 Spring Recess
24 Mapping the 2nd half of the semester
26 Group A meets
31 Preceptorial Advising - No Class
April
02 Group B meets
07 Group A meets
08 Wednesday, Preceptorial Advising - no classes
09 Group B meets
14 Drafts of Theses are due on this date
16 Open meeting -- I will be in the classroom at least through 7 pm
21 Draft Theses returned -- Thesis workshop
23 Presentations
28 Presentations
30 Final drafts of Theses are due on this date; Presentations
May
05 Final class meeting; Deconstruction of the course; Spring term ends
06 Grades for all graduating students due in the Office of the Registrar by 10:00PM
Reports on assigned sonnet sequences
Each student will be assigned a sonnet sequence from the list on the blog. Go to the library, search the internet, and find enough information on the author, text, general reception, and scholarly background to provide a 15 minute introduction. Within your report you must read and discuss with the class at least one sonnet from the sequence.
Text Selection
The culmination of your work is a 25-30 page thesis discussing critical issues found in one sonnet sequence. A generous list of sequences can be found on the blog; I will allow you to work on other sequences, but only if you have received my specific okay.
Evaluation:
You must attend class, stay awake, participate actively, submit your 5 page Thesis Proposal, submit your 15-draft on time, and participate successfully in the final presentations. Failure to do any of these things will lower your grade. If you have satisfactorily completed each of these requirements, your grade will depend entirely upon the quality of your thesis.
The key to the senior seminar is plenty of structured, hard work. Set aside time for reading, thinking, and writing. I will not give incompletes.