AN3013MA 04

Mesterképzés (MA) I

TOPICS IN NORTH AMERICAN LITERATURE BEFORE 1900

Multiracial interactions in American literature

Time and venue: Thursday, 8-9.40, Room 55.

Instructor: Szathmári Judit (Office: 108/1; )

Office hours: Wednesday, 18 -19; Thursday, 12-13, or by appointment

DESCRIPTION AND GOALS

The course is designed to explore the nature of interracial relations as expressed in American literary products before 1900. Course material and in-class discussions will analyze diverse literary attempts to define “what America is, and what an American is.” Beginning with Native American expressions and oral traditions, the course covers a wide range of primary sources reflecting on the relations between Western culture, Indigenous communities, and African slaves. Reading material is not restricted to imaginative literature; it includes a range of historical, anthropological, religious, and sociological occasional writings.

ATTENDANCE AND GRADING POLICY:

Students are expected to come to sessions prepared for in-class discussions. Students must bring assigned readings for classroom discussions. In accordance with university regulations, missing more than three sessions will result in a failing grade.

Final grades will be based on informed class attendance and contributions to discussion: (20%)

oral presentation (25%) (NO MAKE-UP OPTION)

end-term test (25%) (NO MAKE-UP OPTION)

research paper (30%) (NO MAKE-UP OPTION): see details below.

0-60% = fail (1); 61-70% = satisfactory (2); 71-80% = average (3); 81-90% = good (4); 91-100% = excellent (5).

Oral presentation: 10-minute presentation on a topic assigned by the instructor

Research paper:

10-page (NET!!!!), typed and printed MLA format essay. Essay topics will be chosen by students but must be okayed by the instructor. Students are strongly encouraged to use reading assignments included in the syllabus for their analytical paper, but may also explore other primary sources of their choice.

NOTE: essays are due on May 18, but you are required to present a first draft of your paper on May 4.

NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM (FAILURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOURCES) WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE TOLERATED AND WILL RESULT IN A FAILING GRADE.

READINGS

There is no single textbook available for this course. Unless otherwise available, PDF copies will be provided by the instructor.

DATE / ASSIGNMENT
02. 23 / Orientation
03. 02 / excerpts from the Winnebago Trickster Cycle, (http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.TricksterCycle.html) “The Coming of Wasichu,” “Remaking the World”
03.09 / Captain John Smith, from The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (Third Book, Chapter 1., Third Book, Chapter 2: “What Happened till the First Supply” Thomas Morton, “The General Survey of the Country,”
03.16 / William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (“Showing the Reasons and Causes of their Removal,” “Showing How They Sought Out A Place Of Habitation And What Befell Them Thereabout,” “First Thanksgiving,” “The Pequot War”
03. 23 / Sarah Kemble Knight, excerpts from The Private Journal of a Journey from Boston to New York, (October 3, October 6, December 6, January 6)
03. 30 / Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence, Crevecoeur, Letters from an American Farmer: Letter IX. “Description of Charles-Town; Thoughts on Slavery; on Physical Evil; a Melancholy Scene,” Benjamin Franklin, “Information to those who would remove to America,” “An Address to the Public”
04. 06 / Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha (selections) http://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=296
Laura Cornelius Kellogg, “A Tribute to the Future of My Race”
04. 13 / CONSULTATION WEEK
04. 20 / James Fennimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans
04. 27 / A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison (selected chapters) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6960/6960-h/6960-h.htm
05. 04 / First drafts due, writing workshop, The history of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave (selected chapters)
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17851/17851-h/17851-h.htm
05. 11 / Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself
05.18 / Essays due
Phillis Wheatley, “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” “Thoughts on the Works of Providence,” “To the University of Cambridge, in New England”
Jupiter Hammon, “An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatly, Ethiopian Poetess”
05.25 / End-term test

SUGGESTED READINGS:

Baym, Nina, et. al. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: Norton, 1989.

Bollobás, Enikő. Az amerikai irodalom története. Budapest: Osiris, 2005.

Bercovitch, Sacvan, ed., The Cambridge History of American Literature. vols. 1–8. Cambridge/New York: Cambridge UP, 2005.

Elliot, Emory, et.al. Columbia Literary History of the United States. New York: Columbia U

P, 1988.

Erdoes, Richad, and Alfonso Ortiz, ed. American Indian Myths and Legends. New York:

Pantheon, 1985.

Radin, Paul. The Trickster. A Study in American Indian Mythology. London: Routledge, 1956.

Sundquist, Eric J. To Wake the Nations: Race in the Making of American Literature. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1993.

Virágos, Zsolt. Portraits and Landmarks. The American Literary Culture in the 19th Century.

Debrecen: DE AAI, 2003.