This is a graduate level course in Seventeenth Century English Literature and its contexts. Students are expected to do a considerable amount of careful reading in both primary and secondary sources. The reading load varies widely from class to class, so students should be prepared to read ahead when possible.

Students will write four one-page papers during the first part of the quarter. These may include explications of individual poems, analyses of prose style and structure, one original stylistic imitation of a poem, a comparison of two readings. Specific topics will be suggested. During the first five weeks, students will present one of their short papers to the class. The four one-page papers count 25% of the grade.

Students will also produce a twelve to fifteen page research paper on a topic of their own invention or selected from a list of topics provided by the instructor. A prospectus and bibliography is due at the end of Week VIII. Ten-minute presentations of work in progress or of sections of an early draft of the paper will be scheduled for the last three weeks. Early drafts will be read and commented upon by the instructor. The research paper counts 50% of the final grade. It is due the last day of finals week at noon.

The final exam counts 25% of the grade.