ENGL 442
Early American Literature
Catalog Entry
ENGL 442. Early American Literature
Three hours lecture (3).
Prerequisite: ENGL 111 and ENGL 112
Study of colonial writers of Virginia and New England and major figures of American literature to 1830.
Note(s): Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
This course provides English majors with an introduction to the literature of early America (prose pieces, religious and political treatises, sermons, poems, letters, journals, narratives) and traces the beginnings of the American literary tradition. Literature is taught within a solid historical and cultural context to put the readings in perspective.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
ENGL 442 uses a wide variety of instructional strategies which may include any number of the following: lecture; discussion; collaborative group work; individual or group student reports to elucidate primary texts or pertinent historical, biographical and cultural contexts; individual or group student creative presentations on course material; informal writing activities such as in-class focused writing exercises, readers’ logs, journals or discussion questions; audio-visual resources on literary works and authors as well as pertinent contexts; library instructional workshops to reinforce students’ information literacy and knowledge of resources available; peer writing groups on drafts of essays; individual or group conferences with the instructor on drafts of essays.
Goals and Objectives of Course
The fundamental goal of this course is to provide students with an appreciation of the formative literature of the United States. To fully appreciate this literature, students also will acquire a working knowledge of exploration, colonization, and settlement in the seventeenth century and the development of an American consciousness during the early Republic. To that end, students who have successfully completed this course will be able to:
Assessment Measures
ENGL 442 uses a variety of assessment measures, which may include a number of the following:
Other Course Information
Review and Approval
October, 2009
March 01, 2021