E 376M l Early Black Atlantic

Instructor: Woodard, H Unique #: 35690 Semester: Spring 2019 Cross-lists: n/a Flags: Cultural Diversity in the U.S.; Writing Restrictions: n/a Computer Instruction: No

Prerequisites: Nine semester hours of coursework in English or rhetoric and writing.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course focuses primarily on representations of race in select eighteenth-century writings, art, and music. Focusing primarily on early Black Atlantic writings--especially in the U.S. and England, coterminously with the triangular, Transatlantic Slave Trade route, the course shows how race disrupts the rhetoric of Enlightenment humanism, which represents literature as a tool for moral instruction. What unites neoclassicists like Dryden, Pope, and Swift; Whig modernists like Addison & Steele, and Christian humanists like Samuel Johnson is a belief in art as a postlapsarian response to disharmony in the universe. The publications of early (18th century) Black Atlantic authors, Ukawsaw Gronniosaw (Narrative of Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, 1770), Ottobah Cugoano (Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery, 1789), Ignatius Sancho (Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, 1782), Olaudah Equiano (Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, 1787), and Mary Prince (History of Mary Prince, 1831) alter the notion that such a literary didacticism operates in a depoliticized humanist framework. Across the Atlantic, John Jea, John Morrant, Jupiter Hammon, Briton Hammon, and Phillis Wheatley perform a key epistemological task, notably in religious, social, literary, and gender contexts. Besides, Britain's exploration ventures to African territories, along with its participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, helped to shape perspectives on race that often clashed with humanism's didactic mode. African-British and Black Atlantic writings in the course uniquely underscore the mediative function of race between literature as a tool for moral instruction and certain social conditions that profoundly complicate that role. We shall resuscitate and challenge humanism’s collective system of values and its uniformity and orthodoxy of human nature. We will begin with a historical, global view of travel narratives that introduced spectators to ethnic cultures beyond their shores. We will study the writings of the captive African in prose, imaginative fiction, art, even legal and ecclesiastical discourse. In the final quarter of the course, we will move forward to Paul Gilroy, Smallwood, and others’ conception of the Black Atlantic legacy and aftermath. Through select contemporary readings of the Middle Passage, we will cast a glance towards an eco-critical, theoretical lens that ponders such water- driven events as the 1927 Mississippi Flood and the Katrina Flood, and the Flint, Michigan, water crisis.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: To cultivate critical thinking, reading, and writing skills To develop effective skills in oral and visual communication To work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal To connect the early black Atlantic, e.g. slavery/the Middle Passage/writings, with its legacy in the modern era

REQUIRED TEXTS: Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Alphra Behn, Oroonoko. Phillis Wheatley, Complete Writings. Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, Ed. Constanza Moira Ferguson, ed. The History of Mary Prince.

SUGGESTED CRITICAL STUDIES: Joanna Brooks, American Lazarus. Paul Gilroy, The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Toni Morrison, Playing in the Dark. Abdul JanMohamed, The Death-Bound-Subject: Richard Wright’s Archaeology of Death. Stephanie Smallwood, Saltwater Slavery: A Middle Passage from African to American Diaspora. Kevin Quashie, The Sovereignty of Quiet: Beyond Resistance in Black Culture. Anissa Janine Wardi, Water and African American Memory: An Ecocritical Perspective. Nourbese Philip, Zong! 2008.

2 REQUIREMENTS & GRADING: .75% Three critical essays (5 pages each; typed; ds, plus one major essay revision.) .15% Two response papers (3 pages each; typed ds, plus weekly reading quizzes.) .10% Group presentations; class participation.

Nonsubstantial (nongraded) writing projects include peer evaluations of oral presentations and constructive peer readings of critical essay drafts.

WRITING: This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the session, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY FLAG: This course carries the flag for Cultural Diversity in the United States. Cultural Diversity course are designed to increase your familiarity with the variety and richness of the American cultural experience. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one U.S. cultural group that has experienced persistent marginalization.

CLASS POLICIES: Papers: Papers are due at the beginning of class on the date assigned. Late papers will not be accepted. Do not slide papers under my door. Use the MLA (Modern Language Association Stylebook for all papers that require documentation. Type papers on white, 8.5" x 11" paper, using one side only. Bind pages with a paper clip.

Reading Quizzes: Absolutely no make-ups for quizzes. Make-ups for the one-hour essay exam are permitted only with proof of personal illness (a note signed by a physician), and must be made up within one week of the exam date. You may receive a different exam than the one taken by your classmates. Read all material assigned before class time. Participation in class discussion is required.

CLASS PARTICIPATION: Participation in class discussion is required, and it is part of a 10% grade. Each of you will be assigned a date on the course reading schedule to lead the discussion at the beginning of class. After you introduce your topic idea, based on the course readings, then everyone else will be expected to join the discussion. At some point in the semester before classes end, each of you must make an appointment to come to my office in order to discuss your progress in the course.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY: Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259. The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 232-2937 (video phone), or visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd. Please notify the professor of any special accommodations that you may need prior to the end of the second week of class.

HONOR CODE: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the student's own work. For additional information on Academic Integrity, see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acadint.php.

3 RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS: By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of a pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence. Notice must be given at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates the student will be absent. For religious holy days that fall within the first two weeks of the semeser, notice should be given on the first day of the semester.

ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is required. More than four absences will be sufficient grounds for failure in the course. The four allowed absences will include illness, deaths of relatives, and other emergencies. If you are more than five minutes late or leave before class ends (without permission), you will be counted absent for that class. You are responsible for all work covered in your absence.

GRADING SCALE: Final grades will be determined on the basis of the following rubric. Please note that to ensure fairness, all numbers are absolute, and will not be rounded up or down at any stage. Thus, a B- will be inclusive of all scores of 80.000 through 83.999. The University does not recognize the grade of A+.

A+ (100-98); A (94-97); A- (90-93); B+ (87-89); B (84-86); B- (80-83); C+ (77-79); C (74-76); C- (70-73); D+ (67-69); D (64-66); D- (60-63); F (0-59).

Plus/minus grades will be assigned for the final grade. A midterm and final exam are given.

Other: additional policies, as desired (Q-drop, cell phone/computer, e-mail correspondence, BCAL, writing center).

Web Site: Canvas.

4 COURSE READING SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO ANNOUNCED CHANGES)

WED 1/23 Classes begin. Introduction to course; policies, etc.

FRI 1/25 Lecture and discussion, “Enlightenment Humanism: Art as the postlapsarian response to disharmony in the universe.”

MON 1/28 Introduction to Jonathan Swift and Gulliver’s Travels, “Book I” Lecture and discussion, “Travel fiction, the contact zone, and the Atlantic slave trade.”

WED 1/30 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, “Book I” continued.

FRI 2/1 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Book II. Quiz on Book I.

MON 2/4 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, “Book II” continued.

WED 2/6 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, “Book III.”

FRI 2/8 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, “Book IV.” Quiz II on Books II and III.

MON 2/11 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Book IV continued.

MON 2/13 Swift, Gulliver’s Travels, Book IV continued.

WED 2/15 Aphra Behn, Oroonoko Lecture and discussion, “Oroonoko, royal slave or ennobled being?”

MON 2/18 Aphra Behn, Oroonoko Critical essay I, Gulliver’s Travels (TBA).

WED 2/20 Aphra Behn, Oroonoko

FRI 2/22 Aphra Behn, Oroonoko

MON 2/25 Introduction to Phillis Wheatley, Complete Writings. Lecture and discussion, Slavery and the Middle Passage. Film clip, The Old Africaan Blasphemer. Group I presentation on Oroonoko (TBA).

WED 2/27 Phillis Wheatley, “On Being Brought From Africa To America.” “On Virtue,” (11). Quiz III, Oroonoko

FRI 3/1 Phillis Wheatley, “To the University of Cambridge,” in Complete Writings Lecture and discussion, The encomium, the occasional poem, in memoriam

MON 3/4 Phillis Wheatley, To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth.”

WED 3/6 Wheatley, “On the Death of the Rev. George Whitefield”

FRI 3/8 Phillis Wheatley, [Letter] “To His Excellency General Washington” “[Letter and Reply] To George Washington” Washington’s “Letter to Phillis Wheatley”

MON 3/11 Critical responses to Wheatley, Thomas Jefferson, excerpt from Notes on the State of Virginia.

5 WED 3/13 Wheatley, “[Letters] To the Countess of Huntingdon,” 144-145. “To Colonel David Wooster,” (146-147). ”[Letter] To Samson Occom” Critical essay II on Phillis Wheatley due (TBA):

FRI 3/15 Group presentation II: Phillis Wheatley: “Celebrity” Slave

MON 3/18 -- FRI 3/22 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS

MON 3/25 Introducing Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa Lecture and discussion, “The trope of the talking book” as ‘signification’”

WED 3/27 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative Lecture and discussion, Religious communities’ responses to slavery”

FRI 3/29 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

MON 4/1 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

WED 4/3 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

FRI 4/5 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

MON 4/8 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

WED 4/10 Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative

FRI 4/12 Quiz IV on Equiano, Interesting Narrative

MON 4/15 Group presentation III, “Who is Ignatius Sancho?”

WED 4/17 Introducing Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince, Moira Ferguson, Ed.

FRI 4/19 Moira Ferguson, ed., Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince Critical Essay III: “Olaudah Equiano and the ‘trope of the talking book’”

MON 4/22 Moira Ferguson, ed., Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince

WED 4/24 Moira Ferguson, ed., Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince

FRI 4/26 Moira Ferguson, ed., Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince

MON 4/29 Moira Ferguson, ed., Mary Prince, History of Mary Prince Response paper II on History of Mary Prince (TBA)

WED 5/1 Group presentation IV on Mary Prince (TBA)

FRI 5/3 Quiz V on History of Mary Prince.

MON 5/6 “Wrap up,” Critical essay revisions due.