The Eighteenth-Century English Novel
English 349, Autumn 2008
Go directly to:
September —
October —
November —
December
Office: (973) 353-5279 x 516; 516 Hill Hall.
Hours: Wednesday and Friday, 10:30–11:30, and by
appointment (appointments are best).
Home: (609) 882-4642 (before 10:30 p.m.!).
E-mail: jlynch@andromeda.rutgers.edu (the best way to
reach me).
Listserv: 18thCNovel @ andromeda.rutgers.edu (for the
whole
class).
Course Requirements
- Written Assignments: There will be two papers,
the first of around 1,500 words (six pages), the second of 2,000
(eight pages). There are also three short exercises (we'll
discuss these in class).
- Final Exam: A short final examination will include
identification of quotations, close reading, and short essays.
- Attendance: Almost any excuse, given in
advance (in person, by phone, or by E-mail), will receive my
blessing. Absences not excused in advance will be frowned upon,
and your final grade will be lowered by half a grade for each
unexcused absence. The same policy applies to late papers: I'll
grant extensions, but only if you talk to me before the
due date.
- Computing: Some essential information will be
available only electronically. All students therefore
must have an E-mail account by the end of the first
week of classes, and must be able to use the World
Wide Web.
- Plagiarism: It should go without saying, but
all work in this class must be your own. Handing in
someone else's work as your own will result in an F for the
course with no second chance, and may result in disciplinary
action. I encourage you to use outside sources, but you
have to cite anything you didn't write yourself. You're
responsible for knowing what's plagiarism and what isn't: if
you're not sure, start with this
handy article. If, after reading that, you have even an
inkling of a doubt about what's legitimate or how to cite
something, see me before handing in the paper.
- Readings: Eight books are available from New Jersey
Books (not the Rutgers Bookstore):
- Ian Watt, The Rise of the Novel, California,
ISBN: 0520230699.
- Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, Oxford, ISBN:
0192834037.
- Samuel Richardson, Pamela, Oxford, ISBN:
0192829602.
- Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews and
Shamela, Oxford, ISBN: 019283343X.
- Tobias Smollett, The Expedition of Humphry
Clinker, Oxford, ISBN: 0192835947.
- Henry Mackenzie, The Man of Feeling, Norton,
ISBN: 0393002144.
- Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Oxford, ISBN:
0192833944.
- Frances Burney, Evelina, Oxford, ISBN:
0192840312.
Schedule of Class Meetings
- Wednesday, 3 Sept.:
- Introduction (class business, &c.).
- Friday, 5 Sept.:
- Thomas Malory, "Syr
Launcelot du Lake," from Le Morte Darthur
(c. 1475).
- Wednesday, 10 Sept.:
- Eliza Haywood, "Fantomina"
(1725); Ian Watt, The Rise of the Novel, chapter 1
("Realism and the Novel Form").
- Friday, 12 Sept.:
- Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders (1722), pp.
1–105. OED Exercise 1 Due: Malory or
Haywood.
- Wednesday, 17 Sept.:
- Moll Flanders, pp. 105–269; Ian Watt,
The Rise of the Novel, chapter 2 ("The Reading
Public and the Rise of the Novel").
- Friday, 19 Sept.:
- Moll Flanders, pp. 269–343; Ian Watt,
The Rise of the Novel, chapter 4 ("Defoe as
Novelist: Moll Flanders").
- Wednesday, 24 Sept.:
- Samuel Richardson, Pamela (1740), pp.
1–98.
- Friday, 26 Sept.:
- Pamela, pp. 98–219; Ian Watt, The
Rise of the Novel, chapter 6 ("Private Experience and the
Novel").
- Wednesday, 1 Oct.:
- Pamela, pp. 221–367.
- Friday, 3 Oct.:
- Pamela, pp. 367–503; Ian Watt, The
Rise of the Novel, chapter 5 ("Love and the Novel:
Pamela").
- Wednesday, 8 Oct.:
- Henry Fielding, Shamela (1741). OED
Exercise 2 Due: Defoe or Richardson.
- Friday, 10 Oct.:
- Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews (1742), Book I;
Ian Watt, The Rise of the Novel, chapter 8
("Fielding and the Epic Theory of the Novel").
- Wednesday, 15 Oct.:
- No Class: I'll be away for a
conference.
- Friday, 17 Oct.:
- No Class: I'll be away for a
conference.
- Wednesday, 22 Oct.:
- Joseph Andrews, Books II–IV. First
Paper Due (5–7 pages).
- Friday, 24 Oct.:
- Tobias Smollett, Humphry Clinker (1771), vol.
1.
- Wednesday, 29 Oct.:
- Humphry Clinker, vol. 2.
- Friday, 31 Oct.:
- Humphry Clinker, vol. 3. OED Exercise 3
Due: Fielding, Smollett, or Mackenzie.
- Wednesday, 5 Nov.:
- Henry Mackenzie, The Man of Feeling (1771).
- Friday, 7 Nov.:
- No Class: Another conference.
- Wednesday, 12 Nov.:
- The Man of Feeling.
- Friday, 14 Nov.:
- Matthew Lewis, The Monk (1796), vol. 1.
- Wednesday, 19 Nov.:
- The Monk, vol. 2.
- Friday, 21 Nov.
- The Monk, vol. 3.
- Wednesday, 26 Nov.:
- Frances Burney, Evelina (1778), pp. 1–132
(volume 1). OED Exercise 4 Due: Lewis or Burney.
- Friday, 28 Nov.:
- No Class: Thanksgiving break.
- Wednesday, 3 Dec.:
- Evelina, pp. 135–225 (through vol. 2,
letter 19).
- Friday, 7 Dec.:
- Evelina, pp. 225–323 (through vol. 3,
letter 10).
- Wednesday, 10 Dec.:
- Evelina, pp. 324–406; Ian Watt, The
Rise of the Novel, chapter 10 ("Realism and the Later
Tradition: A Note"). Final Paper Due (8–10
pages).