The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Restoration and Eighteenth-Century British Literature

Spring 2018
English 3365 • CRN 28879 • 3 credit hours

Instructor: Dr. Gregory O’Dea

Email and Phone Number: gregory-odea@utc.edu • 423-425-4166
Office Hours and Location: MTW 2:00–3:00 • Honors House 204 (545 Oak St.)
Course Meeting Days, Times, and Location: TR 12:15–1:30 • Brock 401

Course Catalog Description: A study of selected major British writers from the Restoration to
the late 18th century. Attention is given to such genres as satire, essay, travelogue, novel, and
drama, with attention to the politics, philosophy, and cultural phenomena that shaped this
literature.
Course Pre/Co Requisites: None

Course Student Learning Outcomes: English 3365 is designed to provide students a deeper
understanding of the literature (and literary culture) of Great Britain, beginning with the 1660
restoration of the monarchy and ending with the French revolution in 1789. Attempting to
capture its general tenor, scholars have variously called this period “The Age of Reason,” “The
Augustan Age,” and “The Age of Enlightenment” – all terms we will interrogate and critique this
semester, especially in relation to the era’s imperialistic aims and its prevalent views on race and
gender. In addition to producing very distinctive poetry (satire, mock-heroic, verse essay, elegy)
and drama (particularly in stage comedy), these decades originated and developed three crucial,
related prose genres: the novel, the periodical journal (i.e., newspapers and magazines), and
biography/autobiography – not to mention the emergence of literary criticism itself. Our primary
aims in this course are to familiarize ourselves with the period’s representative writers and
characteristic genres; to examine ways in which these writers and genres converse with their
social worlds; to recognize how they conceive and negotiate the public and private spheres of
life; and to understand the social and material cultures of literary production.
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

Learning Outcome Assessment Tool

Demonstrate understanding of major writers Shorter Critical Essay; Longer Researched

and literary works of the period Paper

Demonstrate understanding of relationships News-to-Novels Assignment

among literary genres

Claim expertise on at least one aspect of the Cultural Presentation

period's culture and its relationship to the
literature

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Identify and apply the critical tools of the Shorter Critical Essay; Longer Researched
discipline of literary studies in analysis of Paper
texts

Produce a paper that clearly articulates the Longer Researched Paper

student’s position on a primary text and
effectively integrates both textual evidence
and outside sources to support that position

Required Course Materials: In addition to the materials posted on the UTC Learn space for
this course, the following texts are required:

 Burney, Frances. Evelina: or The History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World.
1778. Ed. Margaret Ann Doody. New York: Penguin, 1994. ISBN 9780140433470
 Damrosch, David, and Stuart Sherman, eds. The Longman Anthology of British
Literature, Volume 1C: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. 4th ed. New
York: Longman, 2009. ISBN 9780205655274
 Defoe, Daniel. Moll Flanders. 1722. Ed. David Bluett. New York: Penguin, 1996. ISBN
9780140433135
 Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Written by
Himself. 1789. Ed. Vincent Carretta. New York: Penguin, 2003. ISBN
9780142437162
 Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver’s Travels. 1726. Ed. Robert DeMaria. New York: Penguin,
2003. ISBN 9780141439495

Technology Requirements for Course: Access to computer and internet

Technology Skills Required for Course: Proficiency with Microsoft Word or other word
processing software.
Technology Support: If you have problems with your UTC email account or with UTC Learn,
contact IT Solutions Center at 423-425-4000 or email itsolutions@utc.edu.
Course Assessments and Requirements: All students are required to complete the following
assignments and activities (all submitted via links in UTC Learn > Assignments):

Shorter Critical Essay (200 points): Students will have two opportunities to write a
required shorter critical essay of about 1200 words (about 5 double-spaced, computer-
printed pages). Your essay should address a carefully-focused aspect of one or two works
we have read and discussed in class, and…
 pose a clear and specific critical question that you would like to explore;
 present a clear and specific response to that question;
 offer clear and specific evidence from the text as support for your response.

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Suitable subjects include a well-focused theme, analyses of characters or particular

scenes or recurring images, aspects of language, cultural constructs in the text(s), etc.
Sample topics will be distributed. The due dates are listed in the Class Meeting Schedule.
Cultural Presentation (200 points): Working in pairs, students will research, create, and
present a 10-minute presentation (Powerpoint, Prezi, etc.) on one of these aspects of
Restoration and eighteenth century social culture:
 Coffee House Culture  England and Empire
 Theatre-Going Culture  Domestic Slavery
 The Royal Society  Crime and Punishment
 Popular Entertainment  Print Culture
 Class, Gender, Education  Gender and the Novel
In-class presentation dates are listed in the Class Meeting Schedule.

News-to-Novels Assignment (150 points): Choose one of the “headlines” from the
“News/Novels: Sensational Journalism of the 17th and 18th Centuries” document (UTC
Learn > Course Documents) and write a prospectus (about 750 words) for a novel based
on the that headline. Your prospectus should include a description of the novel’s narrative
format (e.g., memoir, epistolary, biographical, third person narrative, etc.), and a fairly
detailed outline of the characters and plot. This is a creative assignment, so have fun. The
due date is listed in the Class Meeting Schedule.

Longer Researched Paper (350 points): Students will write one longer researched paper
of about 3000 words (about 12 double-spaced, computer-printed pages). This paper may
revise and expand ideas from your short essay, and should trace an idea or theme as it
develops through at least two works on our syllabus. You should follow the form for the
short essay (question, response, evidence), but each section of the longer paper should be
more detailed, more sophisticated, and offer more evidence, both from the primary texts
and incorporating/engaging with at least six secondary critical sources.
In preparation for this paper you are required to submit a written topic proposal and have
a short consultation with me about your plans for researching and organizing the project.
The due date is listed in the Schedule of Class Meetings.
Preparation and Participation (100 points): Students are expected to prepare for each
class meeting by carefully reading the assigned material, and to demonstrate that
preparation through thoughtful face-to-face discussion and/or participation in online
discussion forums. If you are anxious about discussing your ideas face-to-face in class,
please speak with me privately and we will work out other ways for you to contribute.

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Course and Institutional Policies

Late/Missing Work Policy: All assignments must be completed on time in order to

receive full credit. Late work will be penalized one full letter grade for each calendar day
it is late.
Student Conduct Policy: UTC’s Academic Integrity Policy is stated in the Student
Handbook.
Honor Code Pledge: I pledge that I will neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on any
test or assignment. I understand that plagiarism constitutes a serious instance of
unauthorized aid. I further pledge that I exert every effort to ensure that the Honor Code
is upheld by others and that I will actively support the establishment and continuance of a
campus-wide climate of honor and integrity.
Course Attendance Policy: Students are expected to prepare for and attend all
scheduled class meetings. Two (2) absences is allowed for any and all reasons during the
semester. Additional absences will result in the lowering of the final grade by one letter
grade per absence. Excessive tardiness can also result in loss of points.
Course Participation/Contribution: It is the mutual responsibility of students and the instructor
to create a class community that supports the respectful (and spirited!) exchange of ideas.
Students are expected to prepare carefully for each class meeting and to demonstrate that
preparation through thoughtful face-to-face discussion and/or participation in online discussion
forums. If you are anxious about discussing your ideas face-to-face in class, please speak with
me privately and we will work out other ways for you to contribute.
Course Learning Evaluation: Course evaluations are an important part of our efforts to
continuously improve the learning experience at UTC. Toward the end of the semester, you will
receive a link to evaluations and are expected to complete them. We value your feedback and
appreciate you taking time to complete the anonymous evaluations.

Class Meeting Schedule

(All page numbers refer to the Longman Anthology unless otherwise noted.)

Jan 9 T: Course and period introduction: history, cultures, genres; “The Restoration and
Eighteenth Century” (1985–2009)
Jan 11 R: Court Poetry: John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (2202–03): “The Disabled
Debauchee” (2204–05); “The Imperfect Enjoyment” (2205–07); “A Satyr Against
Reason and Mankind” (2208–2213);
Aphra Behn (2125–26): “The Disappointment” (2126–29); “Lysander” Poems
(2130–32); “To the Fair Clarinda” (2135);
Samuel Pepys: from The Diary (2010–25)
Jan 16 T: ** Snow Day – University Closed **

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Jan 18 R: John Dryden (2074–76), “Absalom and Achitophel” (2077–2102) (read also in the
Old Testament: II Samuel 14–18); “MacFlecknoe” (2102–08)
Jan 23 T: Restoration Stage: William Wycherley (2213–14), The Country Wife, Acts 1–3
(2215–37)
Jan 25 R: Presentation: Theatre-Going Culture
Wycherley, The Country Wife Acts 4–5 (2237–83)
Jan 30 T: Aphra Behn, Oroonoko
Feb 01 R: Rise of Journalism I: “Perspectives: Reading Papers” (2310–37)
Feb 06 T: The Triumph of Satire I: Jonathan Swift (2337–39): “A Description of the Morning”
(2340); “A Description of a City Shower” (2341–42); “The Lady’s Dressing Room”
(2346–49); “Cassinus and Peter”; “On a Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed”
(latter two poems on UTC Learn > Documents); “Verses on the Death of Dr. Swift,
D.S.P.D.” (2352–65); “A Modest Proposal” (2430–37)
Feb 08 R: Shorter Critical Essay – Submission Option 1
Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Part I: Voyage to Lilliput (Penguin)
Feb 13 T: Presentation: The Royal Society
Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Part II: Voyage to Brobdingnag; Part III: Voyage to
Laputa, Balnibarbi, etc.
Feb 15 R: Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Part IV: Voyage to Houyhnhnmland
Feb 20 T: Triumph of Satire II: Alexander Pope (2438–40): Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”
(2470–91); “Epistle to a Lady: Of the Characters of Women” (2521–28)
Feb 22 R: Presentations: Coffee House Culture; Popular Entertainment
Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”; from Essay on Man (2501–09); “Epistle to Dr.
Arbuthnot” (2509–21)
Feb 27 T: Presentations: Crime and Punishment; Print Culture
Origins of the Novel: News/Novels discourse; Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders
(Penguin)
Mar 01 R: Defoe, Moll Flanders
Mar 06 T: Defoe, Moll Flanders
Mar 08 R: News–to–Novels Assignment Due
Presentation: Class, Gender, and Education
The Rise of Literary Criticism: Samuel Johnson (2674–77), The Rambler (2687–96);
The Idler (2697–2904); from A Dictionary of the English Language (2704–2718)
Mar 13–15: Spring Break – No class

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Mar 20 T: Shorter Critical Essay – Submission Opportunity 2

The Rise of Biography/Autobiography:
Johnson, The Life of Mr. Richard Savage (UTC Learn > Documents)
Mar 22 R: James Boswell (2748–50), from The London Journal (2750–58; additional passages
on UTC Learn > Documents); from The Life of Johnson (2761–76)
Mar 27 T: Presentations: England and Empire; Domestic Slavery
Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Written
by Himself (Penguin)
Mar 29 R: Equiano, Interesting Narrative
Apr 03 T: Equiano, Interesting Narrative
Apr 05 R: No Class
Apr 10 T: Presentation: Gender and the Novel
Frances Burney, Evelina; or, the History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World
(Penguin)
Apr 12 R: Burney, Evelina
Apr 17 T: Burney, Evelina
Apr 19 R: The Poetry of Melancholy: James Thomas Gray (2665–66), “Ode on a Distant
Prospect of Eton College” (2667–69); “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”
(2670–73); Oliver Goldsmith, “The Deserted Village” (UTC Learn > Documents)
Apr 26 R: Longer Researched Paper Due