This survey course, English Literature: Milton - Sterne, explores literature written and composed in the period spanning from the civil war to the Enlightenment. We will pay attention to works of art and their social, economic, philosophical, and legal context.
I very much look forward to our discussions, and I hope that this course will be an exciting journey for you and for me. Always remember: happiness is a journey, not a destination!
There are few things that I would like to point out prior to our first meeting. Here is a list of dos and don’ts for this class:
- You must engage actively with the material presented in this lecture.
- You must treat fellow students courteously, which includes listening attentively and not disturbing others by talking.
- Smartphones are switched off during the lecture, notebooks and tablets are closed for the duration of class [the only exception being a notebook at the front desk used for presentations].
- You must take notes using pen/pencil and paper.
I know that many of you will think that the above is superfluous, and I apologize for the patronizing tone. This is a lecture not time to surf the web or send messages. We are at a point in time when basic skills of comprehension and the ability to process information are at risk. Your task in this class is to turn information into knowledge. This is an activity that will require some effort on your part. I promise, however, that you will greatly benefit from that effort. Knowing about past texts and contexts is increasingly important to understand who we are and what our future options are. I will talk about the idea of literary history by referring to the historian Hayden White at our first meeting. In the weeks of our joint journey, we will usually only ever discuss one text per lecture. The motto is: less is more! Instead of rushing you through several texts, we will take the time in class to look at, for example, Gulliver’ Travels more closely: its style, its political and social dimension and its legacy when we look at English culture and cultures globally. So be prepared to think along, and be prepared to read carefully in preparation for our sessions!
You may object to the no-notebook rule. However, apart from the fact that most students don’t take notes but enter digital worlds that do not only distract them but also those around them, have a look at this:
“A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/
"Paper vs. Screen: Note-taking at Dartmouth"
https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2023/10/paper-vs-screen-note-taking-at-dartmouth
Part of your journey may include a ‘Studienleistung’ or ‘Prüfungsleistung’. For a ‘Studienleistung’ you will have to hand in your notes at the end of the semester.
If you need a ‘Prüfungsleistung’ for this course, please see me after class.
Felix Sprang
- Dozent/in: Felix Sprang