A syllabus of English literature

Edwin Almiron Greenlaw

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• English literature

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• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 7
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

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A SYLLABUS
OP
ENGLISH LITERATURE
BY
EDWIN GREENLAW, Ph.D.
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN THE UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH CAROLINA
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BENJ. H. SANBORN k CO.
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
9^21 1Copyright. 1912,
BY
EDWIN A. GREENLAWPREFACE
primarily forThis book is designed college courses in the history of
Its object is three-fold:English litera^ture. to supply the facts essential
intelligent reading of the selections; tothe point out the character-to
which render each author significant in theistics development of our lit-
the student at work for himself byerature; to set encouraging him to
illustrations of the significant points namedin the texts in the out-find
thatlines and in the studies. It is expected the book will be used in con-
junction with one of the anthologies, such as English Poetry and English
Manly; CenturyProse, edited by Professor Readings in English Litera-
Cunliffe, Pyre, and Young;ture, edited by Professors Twelve Centuries oi
and Prose, edited by Professor Newcomer; or the olderEnglish Poetry
such as Ward's English Poets and Craik 's Englishvolumes' of selections
Prose.
no longer regard a jumble of facts culled from a hand-book andWe
liiixed with bits of criticism as proof of a knowledge of literature; in
theory, at least, we send the pupil to the poem or the essay. But every
experienced teacher knows that in the present method two dangers lurk:
the failure of the pupil, through his ignorance of fundamental facts, to
or of agrasp the full significance of a piece of literature, or of a writer,
intelligentperiod of literary development; and the extreme difficulty of
reading. the con-These dangers we seek to avoid through the lecture,
ference, it necessary toand the examination. But if the lecturer finds
dictate of criticism, andpages of dates, bibliographies, and summaries
the only memorizing of facts and the knowl-examination tests the these
edge or the themes of the works studied, wherein have weof the stories
beyond the old method? Moreover, it is not sufficient to askadvanced
a pupil untrained in methods of literary study to read several pages of
iiihints as to the sig-the same time giving him someselections without at
This book seeks to aid thematerial he is to consider.nificance of the
convenient form the facts that must accom-presenting ininstructor by
shouldto the pupil some of the things hethe reading, and to suggestpany
preparation, theassigned him for study. With suchfor in the worklook
whilethe class-room with a mind alert, not passive,student conies to
deadening of educational processes,freed from that mostthe instructor,
make the most of this alertness.of elementary matter, maythe dictation
material than can be used in a coursethe book contains moreWhile
week for a year, it is purposely so arrangedtwo or three times ameeting
If it desired to limit the attention to poetry,selection will be easy. bethat
only thedrama or prose fiction, or to stressomit such forms as theor to
alto-authors, the additional outlines may be neglectedmore important
they may be readdisturbing the plan of the course, orgether without
studied in detail. Sim-connecting hnks for the toi)i('S that arerapidly as
fiction or certain types ofvarious sections on the drama orilarly, the
which will supply a guide for the studybe grouped into a unitpoetry may
To this end, the usual chronolog-of development of a literary form.the
dealabandoned, as also in such sections asical order has been at times
studieslike the seventeenth century. Thewith a transitional period
and periods maywith the important authorsgiven in connection
the conference, orfor discussion in the quiz section orserve as a basis
oral discussion oi^assigned to various members of the class formay be
references, also, may be omittedreports, or may be omitted. Thewritten
purpose to give extended bibliog-used in similar ways; it was not theor
generallikely to be of value in araphies, but only such references as are
usedaccessible. The blank pages may besurvey course and are easily
for shortor for brief summaries of the reading, orfor additional references,
instructor.studies, or for comments made by thereports on one of the
designed, the bookto the purpose for which it is chieflyIn addition
for examinations, to can-service to students who are preparingwill be of
private students who desiredidates for licenses as teachers, and to those
guidance ofreading and have not theto carry on a course in systematic
office ofbe remembered, however, that the truea teacher. It should
that it contains isof tool; knowledge of the factssuch a book is that a
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