Assignments
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You will write one formal paper (ENG 541 required), work with dialogue journal responses, engage in thought on a midterm and a final and/or a paper (ENG 441 required), and participate in one panel presentation. 

Dialogue Journal Responses: In these 1 ½ - 3 page type-written journals, you will respond to assigned writing prompts relating to the readings. (TBA) Specific questions are at times provided for you in the class session before.  These responses will aid you in partnered discussions or quick workshops at the beginning of the session and in synthesizing critical theoretical material and Renaissance works. Feel free to experiment widely with this form. 

Midterm: If you are enrolled in 441, you will complete a midterm consisting of three parts (definitions of terms and two short essays). Additionally, you will have the option of completing either a final exam (similar format) or the more rigorous paper described below. I recommend the latter option for individuals who intend to pursue graduate work in the field. 

Formal Paper: This paper contextualizes Renaissance literature. Choosing a topic that emerges during class discussion, or choosing a topic in consultation with me, you will briefly research an area of interest that helps anchor major Renaissance literary figures, forms, and/or conventions in a context, whether political-historical, philosophical-religious, or aesthetic. If you are enrolled in 541 (or in 441 and choose this option instead of the final exam), you will write a formal paper, due Monday, June 7. This will be an attempt (20+ pages grad level, 10-15+ pages undergraduate level) to place a major work in the context identified by yourself as we continue discussions in class. Let’s say, for example, you become intrigued by Ariosto’s portrayal of the divine inspiration of the poet in light of the need for patronage. You might write your paper about attitudes toward inspiration (vatic or otherwise) in the Renaissance. How was the tension between the poet’s role as “seer” and “employee” handled? Or, you might analyze specific passages of Spenser’s Shepheardes Calendar, Sidney’s Defense of Poetry, or Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso using post-structuralist theory. I encourage you to consult with me about the movement between your rough drafts and the final version; the better your plan at the onset, the more efficient your work  will be. 

 

Your final grade in the course will be computed as follows: 
For 541:  Formal paper (70%); Class participation including dialogue journal responses(30 %).
For 441:  Midterm (30%); Final exam or formal paper(40%); Class participation including dialogue journal responses (30%).