Dickens Syllabus

Dickens English 255 (Spring 2014) MW 3:30-5 PM, Fisher-Bennett Hall 141

Prof. Steinlight [email protected] Fisher-Bennett 116, ext. 8-5143 Office hours: Wed. 1-3 or by appointment

Course Description From his early career as a freelance journalist to his enduring celebrity as the most beloved Victorian novelist, Charles Dickens was and is a unique literary phenomenon. He invented, almost by accident, the serial novel (a precursor to contemporary TV drama series) and spawned an international mass audience of novel readers. He made London a character in its own right, and his tales of life and death in the modern metropolis define a new way of looking at the city. His fictional worlds are volatile, expansive, and complex: thronged with eccentric characters, buzzing with vitality and movement, but also riddled with perplexity and, often, burning with outrage at the social injustices of his time. Dickens can be a fierce satirist and a sentimentalist, a gritty realist and a devotee of the fantastical and bizarre, a radical critic of institutions and, as George Orwell once put it, “a national institution himself.” His fiction not only has its finger on the pulse of nineteenth- century London; it also speaks to us in our own time, urging us to consider what kinds of stories we tell ourselves about our lives, what we choose to believe about the nature of success, about money, property, and power, about crime and transgression, and about the limits of the communities to which we belong. This course will explore the Dickensian world through readings of four major novels: Dombey and Son, Bleak House, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend. We will place these novels in their historical contexts while assessing their distinctive aesthetic qualities, their narrative structures, and their lasting imaginative impact. Course requirements include participation in discussions, a 4-6pp essay, an in-class presentation, and a longer final paper.

Required Texts Dombey and Son (Penguin Classics, 2002; ISBN 9780140435467) Bleak House (Penguin Classics, 2003; ISBN 9780141439723) Great Expectations (Penguin Classics, 2002; ISBN 9780141439563) Our Mutual Friend (Penguin Classics, 1998; ISBN 9780140434972) All books can be purchased at the Penn Book Center (130 South 34th St) *Supplementary readings will be available electronically on the Canvas site

Recommended Biographies John Forster, The Life of Charles Dickens (1872-74); Peter Ackroyd, Dickens: A Biography (1990)

Assignments and Course Requirements One 4-6pp paper (20%) Final paper (30%) In-class presentation (20%) Active participation in discussions (30%)

Course Policies

Attendance

This course requires not just your attendance at all class meetings but your presence in the full sense of the word. Be awake, engaged, and ready to participate, with the assigned reading completed and the text(s) in front of you. Advance notice is required if you will need to be excused due to religious observance, participation in a sport or other official University activity, illness, or personal emergency. Since I understand that things sometimes come up at the last minute, I will spot you two unexcused absences without penalty. More than two will substantially lower your final grade. Except under extraordinary circumstances, more than five will result in a failing grade in the course.

Preparation

In addition to reading the assigned texts attentively by the dates indicated below, the best way to prepare for class is to think in advance about questions that emerge from what you have read. Come with notes on specific passages of text and at least one question that you would like to discuss.

Participation

Sounding out your ideas in class on a regular basis is not only an excellent way to demonstrate the effort you are putting into this course; it’s also crucial to the learning process. For that reason, vocal participation is required. Your contribution to discussions will be reflected in your final grade.

Electronic Devices

Class sessions demand your full attention. Electronic devices such as laptops and phones must be turned off and put away at all times to avoid distraction and disruption.

Your Learning Needs

You are always welcome to come to my scheduled office hours to discuss anything related to the course. Other meeting times can also be arranged. If you require accommodation for a diagnosed disability, please notify me privately and provide documentation at the beginning of the semester.

Submission of Written Work

Unless you have made special arrangements with me no less than 48 hours in advance of the due date, any work submitted late will automatically be marked down 1/3 of a letter grade per day for the first three days. Papers submitted more than three days late will not be accepted.

Grading

Paper grades will not be changed without a rewrite (allowed only for grades of C or lower unless otherwise stated). Failed or missed exams cannot be retaken except in rare cases of serious illness.

Academic Integrity

All of the work that you submit or present in class is expected to be the product of your own ideas, composed independently in your own original language (with appropriate citation of external sources, where necessary), and written solely for this course. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism or about how to use external sources, speak with me before submitting your work. All cases of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade and possible disciplinary action.

2 Schedule of Class Meetings

WEEK 1

Wed., Jan. 15 General introduction

WEEK 2

Mon., Jan. 20 Martin Luther King Day (no class meeting)

Wed., Jan. 22 Dombey and Son, pp. 11-129

WEEK 3

Mon., Jan. 27 Dombey and Son, pp. 129-253

Wed., Jan. 29 Dombey and Son, pp. 254-374

WEEK 4

Mon., Feb. 3 Dombey and Son, pp. 375-493 [Note: Course selection period ends Feb. 3.]

Wed., Feb. 5 Dombey and Son, pp. 493-608

WEEK 5

Mon., Feb. 10 Dombey and Son, pp. 608-721

Wed., Feb. 12 Dombey and Son, pp. 722-828

WEEK 6

Mon., Feb. 17 Dombey and Son, pp. 829-948

Wed., Feb. 19 Bleak House, pp. 13-136 [Note: Drop period ends Feb. 21.]

WEEK 7

Mon., Feb. 24 Bleak House, pp. 137-264

Wed., Feb. 26 Bleak House, pp. 265-386

3 WEEK 8

Mon., Mar. 3 Bleak House, pp. 387-519 Paper 1 due

Wed., Mar. 5 Bleak House, pp. 520-637

Spring Break: Mar. 8-16

WEEK 9

Mon., Mar. 17 Bleak House, pp. 638-752

Wed., Mar. 19 Bleak House, pp. 752-885

WEEK 10

Mon., Mar. 24 Bleak House, pp. 886-989

Wed., Mar. 26 Great Expectations, pp. 3-119

WEEK 11

Mon., Mar. 31 Great Expectations, pp. 120-244

Wed., Apr. 2 Great Expectations, pp. 244-366 [Note: Last day to withdraw is Apr. 4]

WEEK 12

Mon., Apr. 7 Great Expectations, pp. 366-484

Wed., Apr. 9 Our Mutual Friend, pp. 13-146

WEEK 13

Mon., Apr. 14 Class cancelled for Passover holiday

Wed., Apr. 16 Our Mutual Friend, pp. 147-280

WEEK 14

Mon., Apr. 21 Our Mutual Friend, pp. 280-411

4 Wed., Apr. 23 Our Mutual Friend, pp. 417-543

WEEK 15

Mon., Apr. 28 Our Mutual Friend, 544-672

Wed., Apr. 30 Our Mutual Friend, 672-800 Wrap-up

Reading Period: May 1-2

Final Paper due May 7

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