General Description

 This course will explore the literary context of J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction as it relates to his academic career as a medievalist, to fantasy literature, and to literature in general. In the first unit, "Tolkien the Scholar: Sources and Context," we will examine Tolkien's scholarly career as it relates to his later literary works. In unit two, "Fairy Stories," we will read Tolkien's essay on the subject as well as some of his own fairy stories, including The Hobbit. In unit three, "The Lord of the Rings," we will read Tolkien's epic trilogy, examining how it is both a twentieth-century work and a product of Tolkien's understanding of medieval literature.

Class Format

 Most days, class will begin with small group work. I may ask you to share ideas and journal entries, discuss your reactions to the reading, select important passages for the class to discuss, or decide upon questions you'd like to ask the class. Other activities will include in-class writings, mini-lectures, discussion, group presentations, and guest lectures.

Course WebCT Site

 It is in your best interest to familiarize yourself with the class WebCT site as soon as possible. The site will contain various announcements, handouts, schedules, assignment guidelines, and links to useful web resources. You will also be required to share some of your work with the class through WebCT. The WebCT site will be updated throughout the term.

Required Texts

Readings Placed on Reserve
   "The Battle of Maldon"
   "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics"
   "Dvergatal"
   "The Dream of the Rood"
   "Fáfnismal"
   "Forward" to Author of the Century
   "Old English Riddles"
   "Sir Gawian and the Green Knight"
   "Tolkien's Versecraft in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings"

Recommended Texts

Required Work

 Note: To pass this class, you must turn in all required work.

• Journals: I want you to keep a reading journal for this course. You'll want to do it on loose-leaf paper or in a notebook in which you can tear pages out easily. Your journal is a place for you to keep notes about your readings, explore issues relevant to class, and try out ideas. I'll ask you to turn in ten good entries three times over the course of the term. A good entry is more than a few lines and about any topic related to this class. Journal entries can be (1) responses to the readings (Your response can be a summary, an interpretation, or an evaluation of what you've just read as long as it makes specific references to the text.); (2) explorations of ideas, issues, and themes relevant to the course; and (3) connections between this class and other aspects of your life (connections both with other classes, with other works you've read, or even with aspects of your life unrelated to school). All required journal entries must be turned in to pass the class.

• In-class writings: These writings, which will take no longer than ten minutes, will be based upon prompts generated by the instructor or by the class. Periodically, they will be collected and sometimes they will be graded for content. At times these in-class writings will also be evaluated for style. When they are, you'll be given time in class to revise them.

• Letters: Through a series of letters, you will carry on a discussion with members of your group about issues related to this course. Each letter sequence -- there will be six sequences in all -- will have a different set of requirements. Each letter will be about 1 to 2 typed pages. While the letters are informal, I will evaluate them based upon content and, to a lesser extent, upon style. As your peers have to read and respond to these, do them a favor and proofread. All required letters must be turned in to pass the class.

• Summary/Responses: You will read, summarize, and respond to six scholarly articles and/or book chapters this term, not counting those required for class. Three of these should come from the list of secondary readings. Each summary/response should be about one page and should contain the following: (1) a MLA citation for the work; (2) a brief summary of the work -- make sure the argument the work makes is clear for your readers; (3) a discussion of the work that analyzes it, comments upon it, and/or ties it into the course, and (4) a final sentence in which you state whether you recommend it or not and why. All summaries will be turned in for comment, revised if necessary, and posted to WebCT for your classmates to read. All required summary/responses must be turned in to pass the course.

• Group Presentation I: Each group will read an article or book chapter on fantasy and prepare a summary/response for the class. Attached to this summary/response should be a detailed outline of the argument. These will be posted to WebCT and will be used as the basis for our discussion on fantasy.

• Group Presentation II: Each group will research and present upon some aspect of Tolkien or Tolkien's work not covered in class. Presentations will be done in class (10 - 15 minutes each) and should be supported by handouts distributed via WebCT. Possible topics include Tolkien's art, a book length work of scholarship, a culture or language of Middle-earth, a work we didn't cover in class (The Silmarillion, The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle, The Father Christmas Letters, Roverandom to name a few), or anything from The History of Middle-earth series.

• Short Papers I & II: You will write two short papers of 3 Ð 4 complete pages this term. (Keep in mind that 2 1/2 pages are 2 1/2 pages, not 3 pages.) You can write two argumentative papers or you can write one argumentative and one reflective paper (see below for descriptions of the options). The order in which you write them is up to you. You are required to keep and turn in all drafts with your paper. (If you sit down to revise your paper three times, save and print out each draft). Papers turned in without prior drafts may lose two letter grades. Both short papers must be turned in to pass this course.

  You'll be allowed to revise these short papers for a better grade if (1) the revision is significant -- you must do more than just change grammatical and spelling errors, (2) you include a revision letter that explains the changes you made and why you made them.

  Short Paper Argumentative Option: In 3 - 4 complete pages, identify, trace, and explain a theme or idea that occurs in more than one of the readings. In this paper I want you to make a claim and support it with evidence (citing passages and page numbers). You should make it clear as to why this theme or idea is of some interest or importance. The paper should follow MLA style.

  Short Paper Reflective Option: Look over your journal entries to date to help you select some passages we've read this term about which you have strong thoughts or personal associations. Write some substantial journal entries about several of these passages you've chosen. Develop one into a personal essay, in which you use the passage as your point of departure and move into your own thoughts or experiences with this passage. Conclude with something that teaches us about both the passage and you. This paper should be 3 - 4 complete pages. The paper should follow MLA style.

• Research Paper: (Argumentative). In 8 - 10 complete pages, identify, trace, and explore a theme or idea relevant to this course (something that deals in some way with Tolkien and the works we've read). I want you to make a claim and I want you to support that claim with evidence. You can use your secondary sources (your research) both as evidence and as points of departure (you're not required to agree with something just because it's in print). This paper should follow MLA style. As with the short papers, you must turn in all prior drafts with this paper. Papers turned in without prior drafts may lose two letter grades. This paper must be turned in to pass the course.

• Mid-term Portfolio: At a minimum, this should include your papers with all prior drafts, selected in-class writings, selected journal entries (those that you've already turned in are fine), one letter sequence (both your letters and those letters to which you responded), and one summary/response. Feel free to include any other writings that represent your learning in this course so far. Accompanying these items should be a 1 - 2 page self-assessment of your work to date: which is strong? which is not? Can you explain why? Identify what you need to work on in the second half of the course. The mid-term portfolio must be turned in to pass the class.

Late Work

 Work must be turned in at the start of class on the day they are due. Late work will lose one letter grade per academic day thereafter. (Note: being late to class may result in a reduced grade). If you must turn in work late, it is better to discuss the problem with me before the due date.

Attendance

 Attendance is a basic requirement of the course, and due to the large number of people who want to take this class, I will enforce the attendance policy strictly. If you're not committed to coming to class every day, give your space to someone who is.

I make no distinction between excused and unexcused absences, but allow a total of 4 absences without penalty. If you miss more than 4 classes, your absences will likely have a negative affect upon your grade. If you miss more than 8 classes, you will likely fail the course. If you have occupational, family, medical, or extra-curricular commitments of a type that will cause you to be absent, please see me early in the course, so that we may develop a system by which you may make up for the missed work. Final determination of the effect of absences on your grade is a matter of my judgment, and that judgment will be heavily influenced by the quality of your participation when you are in class.

Academic Honesty

 Plagiarism is the use of any author's words or thoughts without giving explicit credit to that author. Collusion is when part or all of an assignment is written by someone other than author. Both are serious offenses. Penalties for plagiarism and/or collusion range from a failing grade on the assignment to being expelled from the university. It is the English department's policy to report all breaches of academic honesty to the dean per university guidelines. If you have not done so, please consult the university's official policies on academic honesty, which is available from the Office of the College of Arts and Sciences (Ritter Hall 125).

 While the Web can be a great place to find information, please don't turn to it to "download your workload." Anything you can find on the Web, I can find much more quickly and with much less effort.

Grading Scale

Course Work Values

 Note: This syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and in WebCT.