English 201: Survey of English Literature I

English 201 introduces student to the greatest stories in English Literature before 1800.  The battle between Beowulf and Grendel, the challenge by the  headless green knight to Sir Gawain, the adventures of “jolly body” of Chaucer’s Wife of Bath—these are only a few of the tales we discuss in English 201.  Throw in

* the yearnings of some love-crazed saints and sonneteers, * the over-reaching ambitions of a power-hungry scholar, * the hubris of a fallen angel, and * the cannabalistic leanings of an misanthropic dean,

and you’ll have read your way through 1000 years of great English story-telling. As one student wrote, "we studied a love, lust, and power in both heaven and hell this semester!" Our class requires a midterm, a final examination, and a research paper, as well as weekly reading assignments and homework.