ENGL 260-01, Survey of British Literature I, Fall 2014

Abstract

This course provides a survey of literature produced in the British Isles from the Middle Ages through the eighteenth century. We will consider, among other things, the relationship between the consolidation of England as a nation and the emergence of a national literature in English. Readings will include the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, poetry from the Arthurian tradition, and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. We will also read works by Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, and others. In addition to becoming familiar with some of the major works and movements in English literature, students will cultivate close reading skills and learn to recognize the features of literary form. Prerequisites: FYWS 151 or permission from instructor.