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Spring, 2002 |
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English 255 |
Rice 110, (440) 775-6726 |
IN
SEARCH OF AMERICA
The Concept of Nature in
Early American Writing
Toward
which end is provided
an
useful Introduction to research methods,
together
with Ruminations philosophical
regarding
the Implications of Information Technology
for
the Matters at Hand, namely,
Nature, Literature, and America
by Megan
Mitchell & T.S. McMillin
‘T is said that the views of
nature held by any people
determine all their institutions.
—R.W. Emerson
MISSION
The purposes of this course
are several: to introduce students to early American writing and assist them
in the interpretive methods necessary for understanding that writing; to equip
students with the ability to discover and effectively manage diverse sources
of information; to assist students in reflecting on the differing concepts
of nature that have participated in determining American institutions.
The overarching goal of the course is to enable students to bring these
purposes together and move effectively among questions of literature, interpretation,
research, nature, and culture. By
connecting today’s “information landscape” with the physical
landscape as it is theorized, encountered, and represented in Early American
literature, students will investigate the ways in which representations of
America then might inform our contemporary understandings of nature
and nation. A scholar of American
culture has written that “We all go forth to seek America. And in the seeking we create her. In the quality of our search shall be
the nature of the America that we create.” If this is so, then our work must involve creating the best
America we can through the highest quality search.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students must attend all
class sessions, complete all readings, and submit all research and written work
on due dates. There are three main
types of written work: 1) weekly research assignments, brief response papers,
in-class reports; 2) a prospectus for the final research project, 5-7 pages
(double-spaced), due 22 March; 3) a final research project, consisting of an
annotated bibliography and a 15-minute presentation to the class.
COMPLEAT
LIST OF TEXTS
Primary
texts include sermons, promotional tracts, descriptions of the land and its
inhabitants, captivity narratives, American Indian responses to European encounters,
poetry, autobiography, philosophical and political treatises, and fiction.
The first half of the semester treats 17th-century literature and culminates
in a prospectus for the research project.
The second half concerns 18th-century works and emphasizes students’
own research efforts, culminating in the presentation of an annotated bibliography.FEBRUARY
5 & 7
Today’s Information Landscape
& the Landscape of Early American
Literature
Topics
Introduction to the concept of nature in Early America;
overview of the research resources available to
scholars of literature & the environment; discussion of the ways in which
the subject matter of the course
& the emphasis on information literacy combine
Required Readings
• Leo Marx,
“Shakespeare’s American Fable,” The Machine in the Garden
• Richard Dorson,
“Early American Writing,” America Begins
• Anonymous, A
New academy of compliments: or, The lover's secretary: being wit and mirth
improved, by the most elegant expressions used in the art of courtship, in
divers examples of writing or inditing letters, relating either to love or
business. Also, the silent
language; or, a compleat rule for discoursing by motion of the hands, without
being understood by the company ... to which is added, a choice collection of
above one hundred and twenty love songs ... with plain instructions for dancing (#29145: 18-19, 22-23, 138-9)
FEBRUARY
12 & 14
Planting in Nature
Topics
Early descriptions of the land in English
promotional & travel literature
& in 17th-century Native American writing; the
significance of the Puritan
idea of “plantation”; primary versions
of “America”
Required Readings
• Various,
“Voices from the Shore,” The World Turned Upside Down (20-42)
• John Smith, A
Map of Virginia
• John Josselyn, Two
Voyages to New-England (1-35)
• William Wood, New
Englands Prospect (part one)
• John Cotton,
God's Promise to His Plantations
(#402)
FEBRUARY
19 & 21
Harvesting the Unnatural
Topics
Interpretations of natural phenomena; unaccountable
occurrences
& the problem with the Devil; womanhood &
witchcraft; bestiality
Required Readings
• Samuel Willard,
“A brief account of a strange and unusual providence of God befallen to
Elizabeth Knapp of Groton,” (Demos 358-71)
• Increase Mather,
“Concerning Things Preternatural Which Have Hapned in New England,”
Remarkable Providences (96-118)
• Cotton Mather,
“Memorable Providences” (Burr, 89-126)
• Various,
“Remarkable Providences” (Dorson 113-28)
• Samuel Danforth, The
cry of Sodom enquired into (#186)
FEBRUARY
26 & 28
Nature’s Others
Topics
Early English representations of Native Americans;
Native American
responses to the English; Captivity Narratives
Required Readings
• Roger Williams, A
Key into the Language of America
(17-37)
• William Wood, New-England’s
Prospect (part two)
• De Bry’s
engravings of John White’s True Pictures and Fashions of the People in
That Parte of America Now Called Virginia, in Envisioning America (85-106)
• Various, The
World Turned Upside Down (43-51,
78-87, 115-123)
• Mary Rowlandson, The
soveraignty & goodness of God, together, with the faithfulness of his
promises displayed: being a narrative of the captivity and restauration of Mrs.
Mary Rowlandson
MARCH
5 & 7
Nature & Supernature
Topics
Puritan poetic versions of the relations of
God, humans, & nature;
tension between the worldly & unworldly
Required Readings
• Michael
Wigglesworth, “God’s Controversy with New-England”
• Anne Bradstreet,
“The Author to her Book,” “Before the Birth of one of her
Children,” “To my Dear and loving Husband,” “[In silent
night when rest I took]”
• Edward Taylor:
“Preface, ‘God’s Determinations touching his
Elect,’” “Upon a Spider Catching a Fly,” “Upon a
Wasp Child with Cold,” “The Ebb and Flow”
• Jonathan Edwards:
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” “Personal
Narrative”
MARCH
12 & 14
Creation & Self-Creation
Topics
Autobiography & the making of a new self;
the individual versus environment & history
Required Readings
Benjamin Franklin, The
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
MARCH
19 & 21
Research
MARCH
26 & 28
Spring Break
APRIL
2 & 4
The Land of Enlightenment
Topics
18th-century response of First Peoples to European
occupation;
Reason, human nature, nature, & deity; land
& nationhood
Required Readings
• Various, The
World Turned Upside Down (55-70;
134-8; 146-52; 170-85)
• Judith Sargent
Murray, “On the Equality of the Sexes”
• Thomas Paine, The
Age of Reason (part one: 463-5;
482-91; 495-514)
• Thomas Jefferson, Notes
on the State of Virginia (567-77;
608-12; 660-6)
• J. Hector St. John
de Crèvecouer, “What Is an American?”
• William Bartram,
“Introduction,” Travels
APRIL
9 & 11
Natures of the Republic
Topics
Place & people in early Nationalist Poetics
Required Readings
• Phillis Wheatley:
“On Being Brought from Africa to America,” “Thoughts on the
Works of Providence,” “An Elegy on Leaving—”
• Joel Barlow:
“Hasty Pudding”
• John Trumbull:
“The Progress of Dulness”
• Philip Freneau:
“On the Emigration to America,” “The Vernal Ague,”
“The Wild Honey Suckle,” “The Indian Burying Ground,”
“The Indian Student,” “Lines Occasioned by a Law Passed for
Cutting Down the Trees,” “On a Honey Bee,” “Reflections
on the Constitution, or Frame of Nature,” “On the Universality &
Other Attributes of the God of Nature,” “On the Uniformity & Perfection
of Nature,” “On the Religion of Nature”
APRIL
16 & 18
Research
APRIL
23 & 25
Transforming Nature
Topics
Social & psychological changes in the concept
of self; the novel;
truth & language; land & psyche
Required Reading
• Charles Brockden
Brown, Wieland
APRIL
30, MAY 2, 7, & 9
Presentations
AVAILABILITY
OF TEXTS
Bookstore
• Charles Brockden
Brown, Wieland
• Colin G. Calloway
(ed.), The World Turned Upside Down, Bedford/St. Martin’s ISBN: 0-312-08350-5
• Benjamin Franklin,
The Autobiography, Bedford/St.
Martin’s 0-312-08446
• Mary Rowlandson, The
Sovereignty & Goodness of God,
Bedford/St. Martin’s
0-312-11151-7
• William Wood, New Englands Prospect, U Mass 0-87023-890-6
Reserve
• William Bartram, Travels 917.5
B286T.3
• Anne Bradstreet, The
Complete Works of Anne Bradstreet PS711.A1 1981
• Charles Brockden
Brown, Wieland PS1134 .W5 1991
• George Lincoln
Burr, Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases 1648-1706
BF1573.A2 B8
• Colin G. Calloway,
The World Turned Upside Down E77 .W883 1994
• John Canup, Out
of the Wilderness F7.C28 1990
• David Cressy, Coming
Over F7.C93 1987
• J. Hector St. John
de Crèvecouer, Letters from an American Farmer E163
.S73 1986
• William Cronon, Changes
in the Land GF504.N45C76 1983
• John Demos, Remarkable
Providences 1600-1760 917.303 D3995R
• Richard Dorson, America
Begins 810.8 D738A
• Benjamin Franklin,
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin E302.6.F7 A2 1986
• Philip Freneau, Poems
of Freneau 811.2 F88.1929
• Thomas Jefferson, The
Complete Jefferson 973.46J359.1943w
• John Josselyn, Two
Voyages to New-England F7.j85
• Peter Mancall, Envisioning
America E127 .E59 1995
• Leo Marx, The
Machine in the Garden E169.1 .M35
• Increase Mather, Remarkable
Providences 974M42
• Perry Miller, Errand
in the Wilderness 917.3 M617E
• Judith Sargent
Murray, Selected Writings of Judith Sargent Murray PS808.M8 A6
• Thomas Paine, Complete
Writings, Vol. 1 320.4 P165
• John Seelye, Prophetic
Waters PS195.R55S4
• John Smith, A
Map of Virginia, Complete Works of John Smith Vol. 1 F229.S59 1986
• Edward Taylor, Poems 811.1T213.1960
• Phillis Wheatley, The
Poems of Phillis Wheatley PS866.W5 1989
• Michael
Wigglesworth, The Poems of Michael Wigglesworth
PS871.A4
• Roger Williams, A
Key into the Language of America 974.5R34C vol. 1
ERes & CourseInfo
A number of the shorter
readings are available at the course sites through the computer. See English 255 at ERes at OBIS and
CourseInfo at http://cinfo.oberlin.edu.
These texts can be read on
screen or printed out.
INSTRUCTOR
INFORMATION
Megan
Mitchell—phone: 775-8285 ext. 270; office: Mudd 106 megan.mitchell@oberlin.edu
T.S. McMillin—phone:
775-6726; office: Rice 110; hours: T 2:30-3:30, W 3-4, Th 11-12
