English 251, The Rise of the Novel

King Saud University                                                             Course Syllabus
College of Arts                                                                                    Semester: II
Academic Year: 1434-1435
 
Instructor’s information:
 

Instructor’s name	Mohrah AlOtaibi
Office Hours	Sunday and Tuesday 08:00-09:00, Sunday 02:00-03:00, Thursday 12:00-01:00.
Office number	90, Third Floor
Email address	[e-mail]
Website	http://fac.ksu.edu.sa/mohrah/home

 
 
 
Course information:
 

Course Title	The Rise of the Novel
Course Number	251
Course description	The course offers a brief introduction to the genesis and early development as well as the fundamentals of the English novel. It familiarizes the students with terms such as plot, characterization, setting, narrative style, etc. Also some attention is given to the historical, social, and literary backgrounds of 18th century England. This is achieved by a close study of a minimum of two representative novels.
Course Objectives (i.e. Learning Outcomes as specified in the Course Specifications)	Improve students’ reading and analytical skills by a close reading and understanding of individual novels. Introduce students to the intellectual and social issues relevant to an understanding of the 18th century novel. Expand students’ understanding of the characteristics of the novel as a literary genre. Teach students how to write short papers on the novel.
Textbook	Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe.  Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews.
Supplementary Reading	Material will be provided by the instructor

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Methods of assessment:
 

Type	Distribution of Marks	Date of Administration	Date of Feed-back (approximate)*
Journal	10 marks ( 5 for each novel)	Throughout the semester	Next class
Presentation	10 marks	Throughout the semester	Same class
2 Quizzes	10 marks ( 5 each)	Sun. 6/4 Tue. 6/5	Next class
Midterms (2)	30 marks ( 15 each)	Sun. 2/3 Tue. 15/4	Two weeks
Final Exam	40 marks
Additional notes: No make-ups will be offered for quizzes with or without an excuse. Late submissions of take-home assignments will be penalized with a one-point-deduction each late day. Students who miss a midterm are supposed to provide me with an excuse for their absence. Only students with valid excuses will take a make-up exam. The make-up exam will cover the entire syllabus and will be in the review week.

 
 
Weekly Syllabus:
 

Week	Topic
1	Orientation
2	Introduction to the 18th Century Novel. Realism vs. Romance. Important features of the novels we study.
3	Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe , Introduction to the author
5	The human and self-asserting impulses of Crusoe’s character and the importance of self-awareness
6	The religious significance of the journey in the novel and the necessity of repentance
7	The network of economic doctrines in the novel and the ambivalence of mastery
8	Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding, Introduction to the author.
BREAK
9	Joseph Andrews as a form of public art
10	The formal elegance of Fielding's novel
11	The journey as a device of social criticism
12	Charity and  chastity
13	Abraham Adams as a representative of the Christian virtue of benevolence
14	Comparison between the two novels
15	Course wrap-up
Revision Week

 
 
 
 
Ground Rules:
 

• It is the policy of the university that missing 25% of classes in any given course results in the automatic failure of the course. This 25% includes excused absences.
• Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Plagiarized assignments will result in an immediate F. If you are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism, contact me for more information.
• The syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.