English 206: Literature and Culture of the Enlightenment
Social Tensions of the Long Eighteenth Century
Course Objectives:
One of the greatest myths perpetrated about the Enlightenment (or, in England, the long eighteenth century 1660-1800) is that it was “enlightened”. Not necessarily so. While certainly philosophical thought flourished, so did a seamier underside. Great advances in empire coincided with rampant piracy and slavery; ideals about the worth of “Man” butt up against classism and sexism; measured ideals of behavior are challenged by rampant sexuality. This course offers an introductory view of the cultural and ideological tensions that the “enlightenment” created during the long eighteenth century. By juxtaposing the more traditional texts of the enlightenment (Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau) to non-canonical texts and paintings (Behn, Hogarth, periodicals), we will explore the tensions in eighteenth century, a time of great ideals as well as a time of sex, scoundrels and scandals.
Required Texts:
The Longman Anthology of British Literature Volume 1C—The Restoration and the Eighteenth-Century, 2nd Edition
The Portable Enlightenment Reader, edited by Isaac Kramnick
Course Reader (available at Notes & Quotes, 502 E. John St # 107)
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
Recommended Texts:
A Pocket Style Manual, fourth edition by Diana Hacker
Writing About Literature: A Portable Guide by Janet E. Gardner
Course Requirements and Policies:
Papers. Papers are meant to give you the chance to work through the readings and explore your interests. These should be about 3-4 pages in length. All papers are due at the beginning of class on their assigned due date. Prompts will be provided.
ECCO Project. You will be asked to use the online resource ECCO (Eighteenth Century Collections Online) in order to further explore a topic that is of interest to you. (See assignment sheet for details.)
Group Project. Once this semester, you and a group of 3-6 students will lead the discussion on a particular reading or perform a scene from a play. You will sign up for a topic and due date early in the semester. (See assignment sheet for details.)
Grading Breakdown
10% Attendance and participation (possible quizzes)
10% Group Project
20% Papers
20% ECCO Project
20% Midterm Exam
20% Final Exam
Tentative Reading Schedule
Unit 1: Enlightenment Ideas and Ideals:
| Week 1: |
Introduction to 18th Century Culture Immanuel Kant “What is Enlightenment?” Samuel Pepys, selections from Diary |
| Week 2: |
Rene Descartes, “I Think, Therefore I Am…” John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, “Satyr Against Reason and Mankind” Joseph Addison “On Wit” Jonathan Swift “A Modest Proposal” |
| Week 3: |
Joshua Reynolds, “Discourse on Art” Reynolds and Gainsborough paintings William Hogarth, The Rake’s Progress, Marriage a la Mode Group presentation: Eighteenth Century Art Samuel Johnson “A Dictionary of the English Language” and "Some Entries” Paper #1 due |
Unit 2: Manners, Class and Marriage:
| Week 4: |
Selections from The Idler, The Spectator, The Athenian Mercury and The Female Spectator Group Presentation: Eighteenth-century periodicals |
| Week 5 |
Mary Astell “Some Reflections upon Marriage” Eliza Haywood, Fantomina |
| Week 6 |
William Wycherly, The Country Wife
Group Performance:The Country Wife |
| Week 7 |
Voltaire, “On Torture and Capital Punishment” Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders Group presentation: Enlightenment Crime and Punishment |
| Week 8 |
Oliver Goldsmith She Stoops to Conquer Group Performance:She Stoops to Conquer Paper #2 due |
| Week 9: |
Midterm Exam |
Unit 3: Gender and Sexuality
| Week 10: |
Thomas Paine “Women, Adored and Oppressed” Alexander Pope “The Rape of the Lock” |
| Week 11 |
Jonathan Swift “The Lady’s Dressing Room” Lady Mary Wortley Montague, “The Reasons that Induced Dr. S-- to write a Poem Called The Lady’s Dressing Room” Alexander Pope “Epistle 2: To a Lady” Group presentation: Women and the Enlightenment |
| Week 12 |
Aphra Behn, “The Disappointment” John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, “The Imperfect Enjoyment” |
Empire: Travel and Race
| Week 13: |
David Hume “Negroes…Naturally Inferior to the Whites” Kant “The Differences Between the Races” Encyclopedia Britannica “Negro” Group Presentation: Race, slavery, the enlightenment |
| Week 14 |
Aphra Behn Oroonoko |
| Week 15 |
Samuel Johnson “Idler No. 97” [On Travel Writing] Lady Mary Wortley Montague, “The Turkish Embassy Letters” Daniel Defoe, Selections from Captain Singleton John Avery, King of pirates: being an account of the famous enterprises of Captain Avery, the mock king of Madagascar Group presentation: Pirates, piracy, and empire |
| Thurs. April 26: |
Daniel Defoe, Selections from Captain Singleton (R, ECCO) John Avery, King of pirates: being an account of the famous enterprises of Captain Avery, the mock king of Madagascar (R, ECCO) Group presentation: Pirates, piracy, and empire. |
| Tues. May 1: |
Final Exam Review |
| Thurs. May 10: |
Final Exam, 8-11 am |
(PER) The Portable Enlightenment Reader
(L) The Longman Anthology
(H) Handout
(R) Course Reader
(ECCO) Eighteenth Century Collection Online (we’ll talk about how to access this in class)