ENGLISH DEPARTMENT COURSES
English 110—College Writing
Writing as an
intellectual act and a recursive process; ways of reading complex texts. Taken
in the spring semester of the first year or the fall of the second year,
the course complements and extends the writing experience of the First-Year
Seminar. Required of all students except
those exempted by the English Department for reasons such as success in an
advanced placement program. Specific
topics for each section are available in the 110 brochure. Prerequisite:
First-Year Seminar.
English 119, 135, and 146 are the same courses
that they were under their previous 200-level numbers and count toward the
English major. The numbers have been changed to make clear that they are
open without prerequisites to all students.
English
116—Film and Literature
A comic book that becomes a blockbuster.
A beloved film that inspires one of the world’s most celebrated writers. A
novel that filmmakers continue to adapt, revise and update. A stage play that
is cinematically refashioned in multiple international cultures and at
different historical moments. This course is an introduction to the diverse and
ongoing relationship between cinema and literature, two distinct but deeply
interrelated art forms. We will read fascinating works of literature and screen
equally fascinating films, learning to read both as complex texts that are made
more enjoyable and more decipherable when employing useful conceptual
frameworks (sets of questions) and vocabulary. We will treat individual films
and literary works separately but also in conversation with each other, as we
examine their affinities, departures, influence, contextual meanings,
audiences, and impact. Through active class discussions, steady blogging, and
more traditional written assignments, participants will have the chance to
become thoughtful students of both cinematic and literary texts.
Mr. A.
Smith—TR 1:15-2:30, with
additional film screenings
English 205—Literary Questions
An introduction to the
theory and methodology of literary study, focusing on three questions: What is a literary text? How do we read a literary text? How do we write about a literary text? By considering the rhetorical, aesthetic, and
ideological issues that determine literary value, students will examine their
assumptions about literature. Required of English majors and minors.
Mr.
Cefalu—Section 02—MWF 0-10:50
Mr.
Washington—Section 03—MWF 3:10-4
English 210—British Literature I
“English
Literature I” is not an introduction to the study of literature, as the title might imply. It is the first half
of an historical survey of British
literature. It meets a requirement for the English major, but it is also
intended for non-majors who want to read some of the best known and most
influential works in the English tradition. The course covers nearly 1,000
years (ending in 1688); thus we cannot linger over any single work. Instead, I
will ask you to read actively and intensely in preparation for discussing the
significance of each text for its era and for readers today. You will also be
asked to learn some major historical facts and literary concepts relevant to
the works being studied. Requirements include daily quizzes (two per week),
Moodle postings (at least one per week), two five- to six-page papers, and a
final exam or completion of optional GRE component.
Optional component to prepare for the GRE
subject test in English—six noon-hour sessions and one three-hour practice test—is
also open to students not taking English 210 this semester. Information
will be distributed by e-mail to all English majors.
English
210 counts toward the Literary History
requirement for the English major (see major requirements for more
information). Normally closed to seniors.
Ms. C. Van Dyke—MWF 1:10-2
English 213—American Literature II
The Gilded Age to the
Present
This
course surveys the literature of realism, modernism and postmodernism in
America, an introduction students may follow with other, more intensive studies
of the authors, genres, and literary movements of late nineteenth and
twentieth-century America. We will begin
with tentative definitions of “realism” and “modernism” and test these out on
the poetry and fiction of a number of writers of the eras—modifying and
refining as we go. When we turn to
postmodernism, we’ll look for differences but also connections and
evolutions. Throughout we’ll rely on a
careful reading of representative works, though recognizing that
“representative” is most often a reductive term. Included are readings from Twain, James,
Dickinson, Frost, Eliot, Hemingway, Cather, Walker, Rich, Baraka, Barth,
Erdrich, and Chavez.
Mr. D. Johnson—MWF 3:10-4
English/Theater
227—Introduction to Theater
Drama and theatre – the
page and the stage. Art and business. This course will
introduce you to the reading and analysis of a variety of texts as well as the
knowledge of how theatre functions – from the empty space where it begins to
the fully realized staging of a production. On the way we’ll learn about
the function of directors, producers, designers, performers, and technicians,
as well as the theory and aesthetics of the stories they tell. We will
also study theatre history, styles, texts, and performances, with attention to Lafayette
College Theatre productions of Shakespeare's As You Like It and Mamet's Oleanna.
Ms. S. Westfall—MWF
2:10-3
English 231 – Journalistic Writing
The aim of this course is to learn the methods
and skills of writing for a general public. Journalists write for a variety of
media in a manner that is clear, fair, accurate and in a style that invites
readers. Emphasis will be on developing the ability to write about
everyday subjects and complex issues in an engaging, lively manner. Closed
to seniors except on a space-available basis. Enrollment capped at 15.
Mr. K.
Briggs – MWF 9-9:50
English
232—Short Story
This
course will explore the short story, examining the art form across a variety of
writers, cultures, and modes from the nineteenth century to the present,
proceeding more or less chronologically.
Authors will include such short story masters as
Mr. D.
Johnson—MWF 10-10:50
English 246—Black
Writers
English 246 often looks closely at non-fiction. This year, however,
the course will examine classic "imaginative" texts: Toni Morrison's
The Bluest Eye; Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun; and more contemporary
work by writers such as Michelle Cliff and E. Lynn Harris.
Mr. B. Washington—MWF 11-11:50
An
introduction to the writing of poetry, fiction, and hybrid forms. Weekly exercises. Because reading generates and enriches
writing, students will concentrate intensively on matters of craft in the work
of highly accomplished imaginative writers.
Completion of a final portfolio of revised imaginative writing will be
required. Students who wish to take the course should contact Professor Upton by
email as soon as possible: uptonlee@lafayette.edu
Section 01—Ms. L.
Upton—M 10-12:50
Intensive workshop class devoted to the writing of poetry and fiction.
Writing exercises and assignments, combined with reading and analysis of published work, will culminate in a portfolio of creative work by the student. Permission of Professor Ohlin required. Please email her at ohlina@lafayette.edu <mailto:ohlina@lafayette.edu> to register.
Section 02—Ms. A. Ohlin—W 10-12:50
Practical experience in
fields such as journalism, broadcasting, publishing, public relations, and
advertising, in which writing is a central activity. Written reports are required of the student, as
is an evaluation of the student by the supervising agency. Although a student may take two English
internships, normally in the junior and senior years, the internship does not
count toward the eight-course English major.
Permission of Professor P. Cefalu
required.
English 274—Taboos: Literary Sexualities
Few contemporary issues
generate as much controversy as same-gender attraction and relationships; fewer
still are so deeply rooted in oppression, violence and discrimination.
Literature, a vital tool of social investigation, plays a key role in exploding
sexual taboos and the related politics of silence. The course will employ
several angles of inquiry, including banned books, popular culture, activism,
gender, religion and global cultures. Students will examine key historical
moments in the modern history of gay and lesbian liberation; read across a
variety of genres (short story, documentary, novel, drama, film); and engage
the relevant critical terminology.
Mr. I. Smith—TR 11-12:15
English 275—Special Topics: Music and Lyrics
Words and music: the complex and mutually revealing
interrelationships between song texts and their musical settings. Examples,
drawn from a wide range of art songs and popular songs from Dowland to Dylan,
will include major songs by major songwriters and will exemplify a variety of
periods, genres, and compositional styles. The course is writing-intensive,
team-taught, and interdisciplinary: a student should bring to it some knowledge
either of music or of poetry (not necessarily both). Prerequisites:
Music 102 or English 205 or permission of one of the instructors. (W)
Mr. J. Woolley and Mr. G. Torres—TR 9:30-10:45
Note: All English courses above the 300 level except
Internship and Independent Study are “W” (enhanced writing) courses. Unless otherwise noted, the prerequisite for
these courses is one course from English 205 through 213, or permission of
instructor.
Comedy, for
Shakespeare, is not limited to mere entertainment, fun and fantasy. Disguise, love, and marriage—
English 301—Shakespeare
Comedy, for Shakespeare, is not limited to mere entertainment, fun and
fantasy. Disguise, love, and marriage—some of the familiar tropes of the comic
genre—are brilliantly probed to reveal a concern with serious cultural issues
that began to emerge in the early modern period. The course also attends to the
Shakespeare’s drama as it engaged in an increasingly political dialogue about
the place of the theater in urban and national life.
Mr. I. Smith—TR 2:45-5
English 320—The English
Language
Language defines us as human; it also links us with the rest of
reality, human and otherwise. English 320 is divided into three segments: (i)
descriptive linguistics (the scientific study of language, with an emphasis on
the phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of English); (ii) the history
of English; and (iii) applied linguistics, the study of language in use.
Requirements include class participation and informal exercises, four tests,
and three written and/or oral projects. (Counts
toward the major with a concentration in writing. Highly recommended for
students who plan on a career in elementary or secondary teaching.)
Ms.
C. Van Dyke—MWF 9-9:50
English
324—18th Century Fiction
Comic,
sentimental, and gothic novels, from an age whose pursuit of happiness is
marked by growing psychological awareness and by changing views on sex,
passion, and marriage. Within such social contexts, the course will assess the
tensions between the early novel's richly comic realism, its serious indulgence
in the cult of feeling, and its romantic flirtations with the supernatural
thriller.
Mr.
J. Woolley—MWF 2:10-3
English
332—Inventing
This
course explores two major questions in eighteenth-century
Mr. C. Phillips—TR
1:15-2:30
English
338—Metaphysical Poetry
In this course we will study metaphysical poetry.
Metaphysical poems are witty, cerebral poems that use elaborate metaphors or
“conceits” to comment on a range of elusive, “big topics,” including the nature
of love, death, evil, and God. We will consider not only the form, style, and
imagery of such poems, but also the historical contexts in which metaphysical
poetry emerged in
Mr. P.
Cefalu—MWF 3:10-4
English
340—Topics in Film
An epic struggle of humans and the environment.
A miscarriage of justice. A day in the life
of a great city. The most intimate of family portraits. The worst crimes
against humanity. A shot at the title. These are among the compelling topics
examined by documentary or non-fiction film, one of the most exciting and
diverse areas of cinema today. This course combines close critical study with
creative digital production, in an exploration of documentary film’s history,
style and impact on cinema and culture. The course begins with 19th-century
roots of the documentary and proceeds to the recent democratization of digital
documentary filmmaking. Among the topics covered will be early actualités,
travelogues, propaganda, newsreels, cinéma-vérité, mockumentary, educational
docs, and recent hybrid forms of documentary. Students will write critical
interpretations of films, engage in rigorous class discussions, and collaborate
in small teams to research, shoot, cut, and score their own short documentary
film. The class will screen their original films in May at the 6th
Annual Lafayette Student Film Festival. Prerequisite: ENG 140, ENG 240, ENG 205 or
permission of the instructor.
Mr. A.
Smith—TR 2:45-4 and
Lab—M 7-9:30 p.m.
English
341—19th Century British Novel
Cultures of novel reading and writing in
Ms. B.
Falbo—MW 11-12:15
English
343—American Novel to 1900
In
this course we will explore the American novel through the romantic and
realistic periods. Several of these
novelists continue to have large reputations—Hawthorne, Melville, Twain, and
James. Others we will read are perhaps
equally deserving of our attention, either for their artistic accomplishment or
for their contributions to an evolving culture in the
Mr. D. Johnson—MWF
1:10-2
English 345—Foundations
of Modern Drama
From concurrent but only loosely related
theater developments that began about 1880 in Scandinavia, Russia, and Germany,
what we now know as modern drama spread across the stages of continental
Europe, England, Ireland, and the United States during a fifty-year period of
astonishing and revolutionary artistic accomplishment. By reading and analyzing
plays from the early modern theater, we will examine the evolution of a new
aesthetic in response to written texts performed with such profound impact
that, over a century later, they continue to shape the ways we think about the
world and our place in it. The many emerging theater styles we will investigate
and critique include realism, naturalism, expressionism, metatheater, and both
the comedy of manners and social satire as reinvented through modernism. Probable plays and playwrights: A Doll
House, The Wild Duck, Hedda Gabler [Henrik Ibsen]; Spring Awakening
[Frank Wedekind]; The Father, A Dream Play [August Strindberg]; Three
Sisters [Anton Chekhov]; The Importance of Being Earnest [Oscar
Wilde]; Major
Mr. M. O’Neill—TR
11-12:15
English 351:
Environmental Writing
This is a workshop class focused on creative and
journalistic writing about nature and the environment. We will examine questions about the natural
world from a variety of perspectives: socio-political, ecological, and
aesthetic. Students will be encouraged
to think broadly about environmental issues, as we ask: how do we define terms
such as “nature” or “wilderness”? Why does ³nature² matter? Some field trips will be required.
Ms. A. Ohlin--TR
1:15-2:30
English
360—Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry
Intensive
weekly workshop in poetry. The course
requires completion of advanced exercises in structure and style and the
composition of an ambitious final portfolio of poetry. Prerequisites: English 250 or
English 251 or English 255 or permission of instructor. Signature of Professor Upton required. Students who wish to take the course should
contact Professor Upton by email as soon as possible: uptonlee@lafayette.edu
Ms. L. Upton—W 7-9:50
English 365—Seminar in
Literary Criticism
This course provides an advanced introduction to the history of literary criticism and its dominant theoretical practices. Students read representative texts from various schools of criticism—formalism, structuralism, deconstruction, Marxism, psychoanalysis, gender studies, cultural studies—and apply them to several literary works. Especially recommended for students seeking honors in English or considering graduate study in literature. This course is also recommended for students interested in the writing concentration or the writing minor.
Ms. P. Donahue—MWF
10-10:50
A program of tutorial
study, initiated by the student and pursued independently under the guidance of
an instructor from whom the student has gained approval and acceptance. One semester of independent study may be
counted toward the eight-course English major.
Permission of Professor I. Smith
required.
Tutorial sessions
related to the student's investigation of the area chosen for his or her honors
essay. Open only to candidates for
departmental honors. Permission of Professor I. Smith required.
Theater 120—Theater
Practicum
Only
those students who participate in faculty-directed productions for the College
Theater as crew or cast members are eligible to register for the ¼ credit
course. Must be available most evenings Sunday through Thursday. Permission of Prof. O’Neill required.
Mr. O’Neill—arranged
Theater
201 is an introductory class in public speaking. Emphasis will be placed, but not limited to,
impromptu, after dinner, informative, and persuasive speaking. Students will be expected to write and
perform several speeches over the semester.
Mr. H. Placke—Section 02—TR 11-12:15
Theater/English
227—Introduction to Theater
Drama
and theatre – the page and the stage. Art and business. This
course will introduce you to the reading and analysis of a variety of texts as
well as the knowledge of how theatre functions – from the empty space where it
begins to the fully realized staging of a production. On the way we’ll learn
about the function of directors, producers, designers, performers, and
technicians, as well as the theory and aesthetics of the stories they tell.
We will also study theatre history, styles, texts, and performances, with
attention to Lafayette College Theatre productions of Shakespeare's As You
Like It and Mamet's Oleanna.
Ms. S. Westfall—MWF
2:10-3
Theater 290—Topics:
Introduction to Design
This course will explore the fundamentals of designing for the stage, touching on the three major areas of design- sets, lights, and costumes. Students will explore design through individual and group exercises using various techniques, culminating in an unrealized design package for a production. There will be materials needed for this course that the student should plan to purchase.
Mr. J. Webb—MWF 10-10:50
This course will introduce
students to the literature and practice of a variety of theatrical styles from
throughout history and around the world.
Students will explore Non-Western theatrical and performance techniques
and styles from
Ms. M. Lodge—TR 2:10-4
Theater 371: Advanced Topics in Theater:
Theater for Young Audiences
This
course combines wide ranging study of theater for young audiences’ practices
and theater in education methodologies with a lab in which students will prepare
and perform a production for children. Also, students will develop
educational materials for and implement post-show drama workshops with area
young people who attend the productions. Note that the lab times allow
for rehearsal and performance of the TYA production, which will also be
performed in April as the last show of the College Theatre season.
Ms. M.
Lodge—TR 9:30-12:20
Practical experience in
a professional theater or theater organization.
Written reports are required of the student, as is an evaluation of the
student by the supervising agency.
Although a student may take two theater internships, normally in the
junior and senior years, only one may be counted toward the drama/theater
concentration within the English major. Prerequisite: English 205, 206, 210, 211, or
212. Permission of Professor O'Neill
required.
A program of tutorial
study in theater practice, initiated by the student, and pursued independently
under the guidance of an instructor from whom the student has gained approval
and acceptance. Prerequisites: English 227, Theater 221 or approval of Prof. O'Neill
required.