British Literature and Composition

British Literature and Composition begins with the Anglo-Saxon period and continues through the early 20th century, working through various historical and philosophical backgrounds and across genres. This is a whole-book literature course for the serious or college bound high school student and is most suited to students in 11th and 12th grade. Compositions will be tied directly to the literature studied in the course, and students will analyze not only the literature itself but the worldview of the author as compared to a Biblical worldview. Students will be taught structural and style techniques that will aid in maturing their writing and vocabulary level.

Each week students will be assigned a pre-recorded lecture, required reading, and reading questions designed to facilitate discussion during the weekly 1.5 hour live rhetoric sections. During the course of the year students will write three 3-5 page literary analysis papers and one 8-10 page research paper as well as take one midterm exam and one final exam.

Course Objectives:

1. To read and analyze a variety of literary works from the perspectives of the author and characters as well as from a Biblical perspective.
2. To become proficient in writing literary analysis essays and confident in defending theses based on the text alone.
3. To learn a research paper writing process that can easily translate to college-level academic writing.
4. To develop critical thinking.
5. To enjoy many of the greatest works of British literature.

Texts:

I am requesting that the students use specific versions of each of the books we study so we can refer to page numbers and specific passages during class discussion. The ISBN numbers are included for each of the books listed below so the students know they have the correct version of the book. Other literary and poetic works will be provided via handouts or website URLs in the syllabus.

• The MLA Handbook (8th Edition), needed before the first week – September 7
  • Author: Modern Language Association
  • ISBN-10: 1603290249
  • ISBN-13: 978-1603290241
  • Publisher: The Modern Language Association of America; 8 edition (April 1, 2016)
• The Elements of Style: Classic Edition (2018), needed before the first week – September 7
  • Author: William Strunk Jr.
  • ISBN-10: 1643990004
  • ISBN-13: 978-1643990002
  • Publisher: Spectrum Ink (July 23, 2018)
• Beowulf, needed before the first week – September 7
  • Translator: Seamus Heaney
  • ISBN-13: 978-0393320978
  • ISBN-10: 9780393320978
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (February 17, 2001)
• King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
  • Author: Roger Lancelyn Green
  • ISBN-10: 0141321016
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141321011
  • Publisher: Puffin Books
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Translator: Simon Armitage
  • ISBN-10: 0393334155
  • ISBN-13: 978-0393334159
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Macbeth
  • Author: William Shakespeare
  • ISBN-10: 0743477103
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743477109
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (July 1, 2003)
• Pride and Prejudice
  • Author: Jane Austen
  • ISBN-10: 9780141439518
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141439518
  • Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint. edition (December 31, 2002)
• Frankenstein
  • Author: Mary Shelley
  • ISBN-10: 1978125283
  • ISBN-13: 978-1978125285
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 2, 2018)
• Jane Eyre
  • Author: Charlotte Bronte
  • ISBN-10: 0141441143
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141441146
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; Reprint edition (August 15, 2006)
• Great Expectations
  • Author: Charles Dickens
  • ISBN-10: 0141439564
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141439563
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; Revised edition (December 31, 2002)
• The Great Divorce
  • Author: C. S. Lewis
  • ISBN-10: 0060652950
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060652951
  • Publisher: HarperOne; Revised ed. edition (April 21, 2015)