Eighteenth-Century Fiction

The eighteenth century is often credited with inventing the genre we now know as the novel. This course surveys prominent examples of the early English novel, focusing on questions of individualism and characterization, "realism" and "historicism," representation and authority, and various forms and meanings of fiction. We will examine the relation between originality, genre, and narrative accuracy. We will also speculate on the significance of the novel's current cultural dominance, its status as truthful depiction of other people's experience, and its role in creating social realities.

Course requirements: Students should come to class each day having completed the assigned readings, and prepared to discuss them. Engagement and initiative in class discussions is mandatory. The course carries 4 credit hours because the reading list is so long. The number of pages that students will be expected to prepare for each class meeting will vary substantially; please take time to read through the entire syllabus at the beginning of the semester, and plan accordingly. There will be three written assignments: a 3-4 pp. paper, a 5 pp. paper, and a final paper of 8-10 pp. There will also be required oral presentations in which students, working together in teams, will facilitate the day's discussion. Triple asterisks (***) mark the days on which these presentations will occur. Be sure to sign up for one of those days.

Under the College's Honor Code, your written work must be your own: please do not attempt to submit essays written by or heavily revised by other people. Published sources should be properly cited and not overused. Please consult with me if you have any questions as to what constitutes plagiarism.

Required Texts (available at the College bookstore in South Hall or via internet at Bigwords.com, under B-Code B-2BH6WT):

Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko.

Defoe, Daniel. Captain Singleton.

Richardson, Samuel. Pamela.

Fielding, Henry. Shamela and Tom Jones.

Lennox, Charlotte. The Female Quixote.

Sterne, Laurence. Tristram Shandy.

Goldsmith, Oliver. The Vicar of Wakefield.

Lewis, Matthew. The Monk.

photocopied packet available at Rice 130

 

Schedule of Readings

Feb. 7 (M):	introduction
Feb. 9 (W):	Behn, Oroonoko (in its entirety)
Feb. 11 (F):	continue Oroonoko Lipking, "The New World of Slavery -- An Introduction" (at the back of the Norton critical edition of Oroonoko, pp. 75-89) Antoine Biet, "They Came Here in Order to Become Wealthy," Norton ed., 105-7.
Feb. 14 (M):	Watt, "Realism and the Novel Form," from Rise of the Novel
Feb. 16 (W):	Defoe, Captain Singleton (pp. 1-63)
Feb. 18 (F):	Captain Singleton (pp. 63-199)
Feb. 21 (M):	Captain Singleton (pp. 199-end)
Feb. 23 (W):	Richardson, Pamela (the author's prefatory material through letter XXXIII) and selections from Letters Written to and for Particular Friends (CP)
Feb. 25 (F):	Pamela (letter XXXIV through p. 169, where Pamela recounts Mr. B's (articles")
Feb. 28 (M):	Pamela (p. 169 through p. 287, where Pamela claims that Mr. B is all "tender Relations in One")
Mar. 1 (W):	Pamela (p. 287 through 409, which completes Pamela's narrative)
Mar. 3 (F):	Pamela (p. 409-12, where the editor edifies) DUE: Paper I (3-4 pp.)
***Mar. 6 (M):	Armstrong, "The Politics of Domesticating Culture, Then and Now," from Desire and Domestic Fiction (CP)
Mar. 8 (W):	Fielding, Shamela (in its entirety)
Mar. 10 (F):	Fielding, Tom Jones (dedication and Bk. I-II)
Mar. 13 (M):	Tom Jones (Bk. III-IV)
Mar. 15 (W):	Tom Jones (Bk. V-VI)
Mar. 17 (F):	Tom Jones (Bk. VII-VIII)
Mar. 20 (M):	Tom Jones (Bk. XI-X)
Mar. 22 (W):	Tom Jones (Bk. XI-XII)
Mar. 24 (F):	Tom Jones (Bk. XIII-XIV)

Apr. 3 (M):	Tom Jones (Bk. XV-XVI)
Apr. 5 (W):	Tom Jones (Bk. XVII-XVIII)
Apr. 7 (F):	no class (finish Tom Jones if you haven't already!)
***Apr. 10 (M):	Johnson, Rambler no. 4
***Apr. 12 (W):	Battestin, "Fielding's Definition of Wisdom" (back of Norton ed.)
Apr. 14 (F):	TBA DUE: Paper II (5 pp.)
Apr. 17 (M):	Lennox, The Female Quixote (dedication, Bk. I-III)
Apr. 19 (W):	The Female Quixote (Bk. IV-VI)
Apr. 21 (F):	The Female Quixote (Bk. VII-IX)
***Apr. 24 (M):	Spacks, "The Subtle Sophistries of Desire," from Desire and Truth (CP)
Apr. 26 (W):	Sterne, Tristram Shandy (Vol. I)
***Apr. 28 (F):	Tristram Shandy (Vol. II)
May 1 (M):	Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield
May 3 (W):	The Vicar of Wakefield
May 5 (F):	Lewis, The Monk (Vol. I)
May 8 (M):	The Monk (Vol. II&emdash;III)
***May 10 (W):	Sedgwick, "Towards the Gothic: Terrorism and Homosexual Panic," from Between Men (CP)
May 12 (F):	concluding comments

Final Papers (8-10 pp.) due May 15th , by 5 pm, at my office (Rice 111) or in my mailbox in Rice 130.