Writing 109HU—Writing for the Humanities:

Romanticism

Instructor: James H. Donelan

Email: donelan@writing.ucsb.edu

Monday 9:30-10:45, HSSB 1232

Wednesday 9:30-10:45, Phelps 1530

Enroll No.: 45294

Office Hours: Tuesday 1:00-1:50, Wednesday 1:00-1:50 or by appointment.

Office: 1523 South Hall

Texts:

Wordsworth, ed. The New Penguin Book of Romantic Poetry

Vaughan, Romanticism and Art

Hegel, Spirit

A reader available at Graphikart in Isla Vista

Students are expected to own a writing handbook, such as Hacker's A Writer's Reference. Most students purchase a handbook when taking Writing 1 or 2.

Audio CD:

Beethoven, Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”

Computer Program:

Students will subscribe to an online program, ConnectWeb, which costs $20.

The books and CD are available at the UCen book store.

Course Description: The course will allow students to refine their skills in scholarship and writing in several humanistic disciplines. Students will address the issues of evidence, interpretation, and critique within each individual discourse and as part of a general understanding of the humanities.

 

Requirements: The course requires regular attendance, active participation in class discussion and activities, and timely completion of all assignments, including reading journal entries, in-class essays, a short essay on literature (5-6 pages), an annotated bibliography, and one longer essay on a subject of your choice (8-10 pages). Students will also give an oral presentation on a topic related to the longer essay.

In addition, please do your best to observe the following rules:


Syllabus

I: Literature: English Romantic Poetry

All selections in this unit are from Wordsworth, The New Penguin Book of Romantic Poetry, unless otherwise noted.

 

3/29   

Introduction and Logistics

3/31

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Wordsworth, “Preface” and “Introduction,” xxvii-xlvii.

Writing: Reading journal: scholarship.

4/5 Wordsworth, “Images of a Mighty Mind” 264-294.

Hartman, "Via Natualiter Negativa" (reader).

Writing: Reading journal: literary criticism.

4/7 

Library Visit—Davidson Library

Writing: Reading journal: choosing a topic.

4/12 

Liu, "The History in ‘Imagination’" (reader).

Writing: Reading journal entry: competing theories.

4/14 

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

More, “Slavery: A Poem," 620; Yearsley, “Death of Luco,” 622; Southey, “Poems on the Slave Trade,” 630; Shelley, “The Mask of Anarchy,” 652; Jacobus, "Geometric Writing and Romantic History" (reader).

Writing: Essay Outline.

4/19 

Percy Shelley, "Mont Blanc," 310.

Writing: Essay Draft.

4/21 

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Keats, "Ode on a Grecian Urn," 343; “Ode to a Nightingale,” 341.

Writing: Draft Revision

4/23 

Essay on Poetry Due


II: Philosophy: G. W. F. Hegel

All selections in this unit are from Hegel, Spirit, unless otherwise noted.

4/26 

Excerpt from Hegel for Beginners (reader).

“The Ethical World,” 1-19.

Writing: Reading journal entry: understanding philosophy.

4/28 

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

“Self-Estranged Spirit” 35-67; “Conscience” 134-158.

Writing: In-class essay on philosophy.

III: History: The French Revolution and the Slave Trade

All selections are from the reader.

5/3 

Burke, excerpts from Reflections on the Revolution in France.

Writing: Prospectus Due; Reading journal entry: tradition and progress.

5/5

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Wilberforce, "Speech in the House of Commons"; "Debate in the House of Commons"

Writing: Annotated Bibliography Draft; Reading journal entry: theology and history.

5/10 

Equiano, excerpts from "The Interesting Narrative..."

Writing: Annotated Bibliography Due; In-class essay on history.

IV: Music: Beethoven

All selections are from the reader.

5/12

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 (recording)

Burnham, "Beethoven’s Hero."

Writing: Reading journal; music and meaning.

In-class: Progress Report

5/17

Beethoven continued.

Writing: Outline Due

In-class essay on music.

V: Art: Blake, Friedrich, and Turner

All selections are from Vaughan, Romanticism and Art.

5/19

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Chapters 1 and 2.

Writing: Reading journal entry: writing and art.

5/24 

Chapters 3 and 4.

Writing: Reading journal entry: heroes and images.

5/26

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Chapters 5 and 6: landscape and the sublime.

Writing: In-class essay on art.

5/31

Holiday—no class.

6/2

Class meets in 1530 Phelps today. 

Last Day of Class.

6/7

Final Project Due