Colby College: Histories and Theories of the 18th Century British Novel Spring 2012
From Keywords
Histories and Theories of the 18th Century British Novel---English 318---Spring 2012
Emily Kugler, Instructor
Course Description
The frequent claim that 18th-century England was the birthplace of the modern novel raises a number of questions. How do certain texts slip in and out of the canon, while others remain fixtures in classrooms, scholarly works, and bookshelves? What do we even mean by "novel"? We will look at bestsellers from the era, texts we now consider "classics," as well as the "fathers of the English novel" and the implications and complications of such labels. We will also look at some recently-discovered novels that are changing the way we view the novel and the 18th century. Alongside these primary sources, we will explore some of the theories, histories, and myths surrounding the "birth of the English novel."
Assignments
Assignments will mainly be completed in class meetings, on this website (Keywords), and on the class blog. Overlap between these spaces will occur, but I have tried to sort them out in the grade breakdown. For more details on the individual assignments, see the blog.
Keyword-Related Assignments (Total = 30%)
Keyword Contributions ~ 15%
Midterm Keyword Collaborative Paper ~ 15%
Blog-Related Assignments (Total = 25%)
Blog Post on Keyword Analysis Group Presentation ~ 15%
Commenting ~ 10%
In-Class (Total = 15%)
In-Class Keyword Analysis Group Presentations ~ 15%
Miscellaneous (Total = 30%)
Overall Participation ~ 10%
Final Keyword Paper (Individual or Collaborative)
or Alternative Project Proposed by You ~ 10%
Final Exam ~ 10%
For more information and updates see: [the class WordPress Blog]
Class Keywords
For each book, we will focus on specific elements in the text. You can do the above, too, but I believe a focused project will help you sort through the material for Keyword Examples.
Keyword Webpage: http://keywords.fordhamitac.org/wiki2/index.php?title=Colby_College:_Histories_and_Theories_of_the_18th_Century_British_Novel_Spring_2012
Pamela Keyword Guidelines: https://kuglernovels18thc.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/pamela-keyword-guidelines/
Anti-Pamela Keyword Guidelines: https://kuglernovels18thc.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/anti-pamela-keyword-assignment/
Woman of Colour Keyword Guidelines: TBA
Victim of Prejudice Keyword Guidelines: TBA
Pompey Keyword Guidelines: TBA
Novel
Constructions/Performance of Gender & Sexuality
Public vs. Private Spheres
Class, Liberty, Property, Labor (or Labour, if you are feeling British)
Places/Spaces/Locations (where things are happening; both proper names and general labels welcome - there will be a possible project for this at the end of the semester for those interested)
Feel free to add more
FAQ
We will add to this as the semester progresses.
Q. What if a group misses examples of a Keyword? Should I add them? If I do, will I receive credit? A. This is one of the topics I suspect we will tweak midsemester. For now, wait until the end of the week (Thursday) and add examples. You will get credit for one Forum Post per two extra keyword entries. Alternatively, you can add the entries when it is your turn to record them and use them in your own presentation.
Useful Secondary Sources on 18th-century British Novels
Instructions for First-Time Users
Students: Students enrolled in this class need to create an account, and then email me your user name so I can give you privileges to edit and create pages. I recommend choosing a name that I can recognize, but remember that anyone in the world can access this site, so it would be best not to use your first and last name. If I were a student, I'd be "EmilyK" instead of "Emnkugler" (I want to be found by my surname).
Please note: You can only modify pages once I have activated your account.
- To create an account, click on the link in the top right-hand corner of this page.
- Submit all the information requested on the registration page. Make sure to remember your user name and password.
- Email me your user name so I can activate your account. You will not be able to edit pages in this Collaboratory until you have received a reply to that e-mail.
- Even before I activate your account, you're welcome to experiment with editing pages in the Sandbox. Check out the Help and FAQs pages for tips on how to format pages.
- Once you get an email reply from me, you'll be able to edit pages.
Other Visitors to the Site: If you're not enrolled in this class, you can still read and comment on the work we're generating throughout the semester. This is a work in progress, so please check back for new additions and developments. You're also welcome to email me with any questions or comments about our course.
Test area--do this after you've received an e-mail from Professor Kugler saying you're approved
As soon as you've been approved as a collaboratory participant (and to make sure you have been approved), go into the page linked below. In it you'll find the e-mail addresses of all members of the class, including yours. Open the "edit" tab for the page, change the e-mail address to your actual name, and feel free to add a couple of words afterward. For example, if your name is Jane Doe, you'll change "jdoe@colby.edu" to Jane Doe, and can add "was here" after your name. Save the page, and you should see a sentence that says "Jane Doe was here." If you can't make this change, you aren't properly signed in or haven't been approved yet. Make sure you're signed in, and if you are, check with me to get yourself approved as a participant.
Helpful Tips and Links
- The best browsers to use for editing are the most recent versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer because they support the MediaWiki editing toolbar. Other browsers may not support the toolbar. However, it's very easy to add and edit text without the toolbar. For very simple coding instructions, check out the Cheat Sheet of Wiki Markup Language.
- Another editing option is the MediaWiki Editor app for iPads.
- A page for new users, with basic information about how to do the things you need to do.
