Skip to main content
Department of English
Search
Log in
Navigation
About
Current Office Hours
Diversity Resources
English Library
Faculty Statement Archives
Internal Dept Resources
Medieval and Early Modern Studies
University Writing Program
Video Guides & Worksheets
Visit us on Facebook
Major/Minor in English
Advising
Creative Writing Application
Honors Program
Internships
Literary Magazines
Major Requirements Guide & FAQ
Minor Requirements
Study Abroad
Why Major in English?
MFA in Creative Writing
Admissions
Events, Prizes, and Resources
MFA Program Faculty
Newly Admitted Grad Students
Resources
Ph.D. in Literature
About
Admissions
Newly Admitted Grad Students
PhD Alumni Directory
Resources
Courses & Schedules
People
News & Events
Off the Syllabus Podcast
Recent News
Contests
Contest Winners
Previous Contest Winners
Newsletters
You are here
Home
»
Courses & Schedules
English 115-A - Fall, 2011
16th & 17th Century Literature
Class Information
Instructor:
Levin, Richard A.
Time:
TR 10:30-11:50
Location:
106 Olson
Description
English 115: Sixteenth Century Poetry
English Renaissance literature is generally dated from about 1530 to about 1660. The subject matter of our course is sixteenth century poetry. Poetry constitutes much of the great literature of this time span with the exception of the plays of Shakespeare and of his contemporaries in the theater. Our reading begins with the earlier 16th century poetry of Sir Thomas Wyatt and the Earl of Surrey, poetry that, from the time it was written, was felt to initiate a new literary age. We will then turn to the major poets of the latter part of the century, Sir Philip Sidney, Edmund Spenser, and John Donne (his career continues into the 17th century). We will also read the epyllions (erotic “little epics”) of Christopher Marlowe (“Hero and Leander”) and of Shakespeare (“Venus and Adonis”), as well as several sonnets by Shakespeare. Our goal in the course is to learn to read and write about the works of a rich literary culture. We want to understand both the distinctive achievement of each work we study and also to discover how these works collectively shed light on an important body of literature and a seminal cultural moment.
Grading
The course will require three short critical papers, spaced fairly evenly throughout the term; occasional short reading quizzes; a final examination.
Texts
Edmund Spenser's Poetry (Norton Critical edition)
, eds. Hugh Maclean and Anne Lake Prescott
Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume B: The Sixteenth Century; the Early Seventeenth Century
, general editor Stephen Greenblatt