English 4/5/6 College British Lit and Comp

Course Catalog ID:

4016

Subject Categories:

College Dual Credit, English Language Arts, Literature and Media, Writing and Composition

Description

From gallant knights in shining armor to madwomen in attics to upper-class socialites with romantic misadventures and many more, this course delves into the distinct yet interconnected works of British literature spanning from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth century. Students will analyze and discuss recurring themes and ideas such as the intersection of class and morality that many British authors – from 16th century poets to Katherine Mansfield – explore and comment on; the intertwining influences of grief and revenge in works such as Beowulf, Thomas Malory’s Morte D’Arthur, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and what the characters’ actions reveal and suggest about the authors’ societies and their values; and the evolving notion of marriage from an economic proposition to a romantic endeavor through various 19th century novels such as Jane Austen’s Emma and William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. We will delve into and evaluate English Romanticism with poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, and Blake; the influence of the Enlightenment with the writings of John Locke on the French Revolution; and the emergence of the Gothic in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In addition to a wide array of stories, students will read through a diversity of genres, ranging from religious epic poems with The Canterbury Tales and Paradise Lost, satire in The Importance of Being Earnest and The Screwtape Letters, and existential tragicomedy in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Through class discussions, lectures, and assignments, students will engage with these texts along with historical context and secondary scholarship, learning how to synthesize their own thoughts and ideas with those in the larger academic conversation. Students will also receive expert feedback on research-supported essays featuring textual analysis, interpretation, and persuasion.

Prerequisites

Grade Levels*:

* Enrollment restricted based on Date of Birth and Grad Year (whichever is more limiting). Enrollment outside these levels requires written concurrence from TPS Support.

Readiness

• Successful completion (80% or higher) of any TPS English 4 (or higher) course

━ OR ━

• Successful completion (90% or higher) of TPS American History, Lit and Comp

━ OR ━

• Successful completion (90% or higher) of TPS English 3 Lit and Comp (Honors)

━ OR ━

• Successful completion of Readiness Test

Notes and Conditions

College Credit: This course is pre-approved for college credit (Belhaven ENG 205, 3 credits). Upon successful completion of this course, the student may apply for a college transcript from Belhaven University for this course. These transcripted credits may be transferred to other colleges. More information is here.

Flexible Scheduling: This course may be taken with live class attendance reduced or waived if the student has a schedule or time zone conflict. Please review the Flexible Scheduling information for details.

Transcript Planning: Students typically take two or more English 4/5/6 courses. They may generally be taken in any order, though some sequences may be better for some purposes (e.g., preparation for a particular AP course).

“This course! I could not say enough good things about it. It was my favorite class every week. Lively discussions, good reads, fun writing assignments. At first, I struggled with the college level writing, but I saw the results of my diligence pay off. I learned a lot academically and also personally.”

Amaya L

Student

“This course heavily focuses on in-depth analysis and explanation. It covers many incredible literary works–poems and novels–throughout British history, which provide insight into the authors’ worldviews. In this course, students are trained to be as specific as possible in the delivery of everything from their topic sentences to explanations. Because of this class, I developed a more keen eye when it comes to analyzing plays, books, and poems. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be challenged in their writing–specifically if they are looking to perfect their analysis skills.”

Emily A

Student

“This course was an excellent survey of British literature from the Middle Ages to the modern era. I enjoyed the diverse works very much, and I always looked forward to class where I would share my own thoughts on the literature and learn from my classmates. My ability to analyze literature and incorporate scholarly sources into my arguments grew tremendously from the beginning to the end of the year. The writing assignments progressed smoothly from short essay at the beginning of the year to a long essay with multiple sources by the end of the year. There were also assignments sprinkled throughout that helped me practice staying concise and choosing just the right words and sentence structure, which was very helpful when it came to editing essays. Overall, this is a tremendous course that will challenge you and turn you into a better writer!”

Isabel R

Student

“College British Literature has been one of the most interesting literature courses that I’ve taken. Though British literature can be daunting and hard to understand at times, the teacher guided us through from the Anglo-Saxons to the Modernists with confidence and ease. I’m happy to say that Areopagitica by Milton changed my mind, and that the War poets and the Modernists helped me think about life in a different way. I’ve learned the difference between the Romance and the Romantics, and exactly why Shakespeare was such a genius. If you want to laugh, get excited, be challenged, and learn a lot—this course is for you.”

Acacia L

Student

“This course offers a healthy balance between learning British history (covering over 1,300 years of literature) and continuing the practice of writing composition. Through reading and discussion, the teacher guides students in reading literature and interpreting it correctly. I recommend this course to any student that wants an exciting change in their studies.”

Mya M

Student