English 200 Reading Literary Forms

Instructor: Dr. Sarah Nickel Moore

         Class Time and Place: Asynchronous; June 17–July 17^th

         Office: Zoom

         Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2:00–4:00 and by appointment

         Email: srmoore2@uw.edu

        Weekly Modules: The modules page has all the assignments for the course organized by week. This is a great place to stay organized with what you need to do every week. 

Overview

Welcome to English Reading Literary Forms! This course engages with concepts of translation, monstrosity, and the medieval in a longitudinal study of the Old English Beowulf. Over the 4.5 weeks of this course, you will read over half of this classic epic poem, along with several accompanying readings that explain and engage with the text. By the end of this course, you will know a little more about monsters—both medieval and modern. You will also being the critical work of understanding how translation always impacts how we read and interpret a text.

Do not let the fact that we are reading Beowulf intimidate you! The translation we are using is very accessible and entertaining, and will make you think of this old poem in new ways.

Because this is an asynchronous class, all work is designed to be done at your own pace. However, I encourage you to keep up with the weekly assignment dates so you do not get overwhelmed at the end.

Course Structure

This class is an asynchronous, 4.5 week course that covers a large amount of material in a short time. Over the course of the 4.5 weeks you will complete a total of three supporting projects and one final project. Each week you will also be assigned a number of short participation assignments.

All assignments and readings are designed to support the completion of the final project and promote critical engagement in reading literature. Even though the class is asynchronous, I encourage you to pace yourself with the weekly structure so you don’t get overwhelmed at the end.

Required Texts

Marie Dahvana Headley, translator, Beowulf (2020). We will be reading from this translation of Beowulf. A pdf scan will be available on Canvas, but I strongly encourage you to buy a copy.

All other readings will be available on Canvas.

Discussion

Because we are not meeting in-person, there will be very little class-wide discussion on the course readings. However, I will hold optional, open office hours every Monday and Wednesday from 2–4pm to discuss any questions or thoughts you have about the readings or class assignments. If you cannot make those office times, feel free to email me to schedule another time we can meet. I am here to support you! 

Course Expectations

• Check Canvas and participate fully in course assignments and readings. This async class requires time management on your part to stay on top of your work.
• Email is a professional tool, and you are expected to use and check your UW email everyday. Also, double check that Canvas notifications will be sent to your UW email. Canvas and email are how your instructors (and future employers!) communicate with you.
• Share your questions, concerns and insights clearly and regularly with both peers and instructors. If you are struggling academically or personally, get help from the great many campus resources available to you (see more below).
• Conduct yourself with academic honesty by completing your own work and acknowledging any contributions of others. Do not deprive yourself of opportunities to challenge yourself and learn.

Assignments

In this class you will complete assignments in two categories: Projects and Participation Assignments. The four total projects (three support projects and one final project) are designed to give you an opportunity to critically engage in the work and compose a final essay. The Participation assignments are low-stakes assignments that allow you to demonstrate your engagement with the weekly readings.

Projects:

Project 1: Draw a picture of Grendel with accompanying creator’s memo

Project 2: Choose a moment in Beowulf that is important to you; compose short rationale

Project 3: Worksheet: Choose a word and compare across translations

Final Project: Close Reading Essay on Beowulf and translation

Participation Assignments:

Read and Respond: Four total assignments in which you compose a short response to the weekly reading of Beowulf. These responses are submitted to the instructor.

Read and Annotate: Ten total assignments in which you read and annotate secondary readings about Beowulf. These annotations are done on a shared document with the entire class.

Grading Policy

The grading policy in this class is grounded in anti-racist teaching praxis, and is designed to promote metacognition, knowledge transfer, risk-taking, and authenticity in your work.

All assignments in this course are graded on a complete/incomplete basis. In addition, you will receive feedback from me on each assignment on areas in which you have done well, and areas in which you could improve your work. This assessment method allows me to tailor my feedback to your individual skills as a student, and allows you to develop your composition and writing skills from however they stand at the start of class.

You are guaranteed a course grade of 4.0 if you successfully complete all the class assignments, including all Projects, Final Project, and Participation assignments. Successful completion of an assignment entails:

• Submitting the assignment to Canvas,
• Meeting ALL assignment requirements as outlined in the assignment prompt,
• Indicating how you have met the assignment requirements in a writer’s memo.

Assignment requirements vary by assignment. All assignment requirements are specific and quantifiable.

If a submitted assignment does not meet the requirements, you may resubmit the assignment for completion credit at any time up until the last week of class (July 15­–17^th).

Failure to successfully complete an assignment will result in a loss of overall points to your 4.0 grade. Assignments are weighted as follows:

• Projects: 0.5 points each (three projects for 1.5 points total)
• Final Project: 0.75 points (one final project for 0.75 points total)
• Participation Assignments: 0.125 points each (fourteen PAs for 1.75 points total)

Attendance Policy

As an asynchronous class, there is no mandatory attendance policy. However, you are encouraged to keep up with the weekly assignments to pace yourself.

Late Policy

Late work will not be given any written feedback. Students submitting late work are welcome to come to office hours to receive feedback. Be sure to manage your time wisely and anticipate upcoming deadlines, which are all listed on the course schedule. Always come talk to me if you are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of the class. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

Course Schedule

Week 1

Monday 6/17

Lecture Recording: Introductions and Syllabus

• Read and Respond: Beowulf lines 1-490 (pp. 1-24)

Wednesday 6/19

Read and Annotate:

• Cohen: “Monster Theory: Seven Theses”
• Maria Dahvana Headley: “Introduction”

Week One Project:

Draw a Picture of Grendel; compose creator’s memo

Week 2

Monday 6/24

Lecture Recording: Why Maria Dahvana Headley

• Read and Respond: Beowulf lines 490–980 (pp. 24–44)

Wednesday 6/26

Read and Annotate:

• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Danger of a Single Story; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
• Maria Dahvana Headly on Grendel’s Mother  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-sP5R-p36k
• NPR, “Bro, This is Not the Beowulf You Think You Know” https://www.npr.org/2020/08/27/906423831/bro-this-is-not-the-beowulf-you-think-you-know
• The New Yorker, “A Beowulf for our Moment” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/31/a-beowulf-for-our-moment

Week Two Project:

Choose a moment in Beowulf that is important to you; compose rationale

Week 3

Monday 7/1

Recorded Lecture: Translation is an act of interpretation

• Read and Respond: Beowulf lines 980–1610 (pp. 44­–70)

Wednesday 7/3

Read and Annotate (your chosen passage only):

• M. Liuzza (trans.), Beowulf passage
• R.R. Tolkien (trans.), Beowulf passage
• Seamus Heaney (trans.), Beowulf passage
• Zach Weinersmith (trans.), Boulet (illust.), Bea Wolf

Week Three Project

Worksheet: Choose a word and compare across translations

Week 4

Monday 7/8

Lecture Recording: Doing a Close Reading

• Read and Respond: Beowulf lines 1610–1913 (pp. 70­–83)

Wednesday 7/10

Select 3 sources from list AND/OR find your own

Worksheet: Synthesizing your sources

Week Four Project

Close Reading Essay

Week 5

Monday 7/15

Workshop and support

Wednesday 7/17

Workshop and support

University and Department Policies

Statement of Commitment

We at the English department are committed to valuing the lived experiences, embodied knowledges, and scholarship produced by people of color and Indigenous peoples; queer, trans, and disabled people; immigrants and refugees, and other targeted identities who have historically been excluded from sites of knowledge production; denied access to wealth, resources and power; and forced to negotiate multiple interlocking forms of structural and institutional oppression and violence. This commitment emerges from and reflects our shared vision for a just and equitable world that actively affirms and values the humanity of every individual and group. It is this vision that informs our pedagogical practices.

Code of Conduct

We at the English department have a zero-tolerance rule for hate speech. According to the American Bar Association, hate speech is “any speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits.” While this could and does apply to many groups, one of the tenants of this course is that hate speech is a violence, and that these violences do not impact everyone equally. Rather, the force of their impacts is dependent on systems of power. Marginalized communities and people are vulnerable to and impacted by such speech in ways that groups or individuals in power are not. With this in mind, I will specify that I interpret “hate speech” to be any forms of speech that targets already vulnerable people/communities. Racism and xenophobia will not be tolerated in this course, nor will transphobia, homophobia, ableism, classism, or other statements or practices that uphold white supremacy.

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is presenting someone else's ideas or writing as your own. In your writing for this class, you are encouraged to refer to other people's thoughts and writing--as long as you cite them. As a matter of policy, any student found to have plagiarized any piece of writing in this class will be immediately reported to the College of Arts and Sciences for review.

Complaints

If you have any concerns about the course or your instructor, please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the following Expository Writing Program staff in Padelford A-11: Director Stephanie Kerchenbaum, kersch@uw.edu

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Faculty Syllabus Guidelines and Resources. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available at https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/.

University of Washington Resources for Students

Accommodations

If you need accommodation of any sort, please let me know so that I can work with the UW Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) to provide what you require. This syllabus is available in large print, as are other class materials. More information about accommodation may be found at http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/.

Campus Safety

Preventing violence is everyone's responsibility. If you're concerned, tell someone.

• Always call 911 if you or others may be in danger.
• Call 206-685-SAFE (7233) to report non-urgent threats of violence and for referrals to UW counseling and/or safety resources. TTY or VP callers, please call through your preferred relay service.
• Don't walk alone. Campus safety guards can walk with you on campus after dark. Call Husky NightWalk 206-685-WALK (9255).
• Stay connected in an emergency with UW Alert. Register your mobile number to receive instant notification of campus emergencies via text and voice messaging. Sign up online at www.washington.edu/alert.

For more information visit the SafeCampus website at www.washington.edu/safecampus.

Writing Resources

I encourage you to take advantage of the following writing resources available to you at no charge!

• The CLUE Writing Center in Mary Gates Hall (141 suite, CUADSS lobby) is open Sunday to Thursday from 7pm to midnight. The graduate tutors can help you with your claims, organization, and grammar. You do not need to make an appointment, so arrive early and be prepared to wait.
• The Odegaard Writing and Research Center is open in Odegaard Library Monday - Thursday 9am to 9pm, Friday 9am to 4:30pm, and Sunday 12pm to 9pm. This writing center provides a research-integrated approach to writing instruction. Find more information and/or make an appointment on the website: depts.washington.edu/owrc.

Counseling Center

UW Counseling Center workshops include a wide range of issues including study skills, thinking about coming out, international students and culture shock, and much more. Check out available resources and workshops at: https://www.washington.edu/counseling/

Q Center

The University of Washington Q Center builds and facilitates queer (gay, lesbian, bisexual, two-spirit, trans, intersex, questioning, same-gender-loving, allies) academic and social community through education, advocacy, and support services to achieve a socially-just campus in which all people are valued. For more information, visit http://depts.washington.edu/qcenter/.

FIUTS

Foundation for International Understanding through Students: FIUTS is an example of a campus organization that can bring together your social and academic learning. "FIUTS is an independent non-profit organization which provides cross-cultural leadership and social programming for UW's international and globally minded domestic students. FIUTS is local connections and global community!" FIUTS also offers a free international lunch on the last Wednesday of every month beginning with a lunch on September 28 from 11:30-1:30 in the Kane Hall Walker-Ames room. Consult FIUTS' web site for a detailed calendar of events and links to many resources http://www.fiuts.washington.edu.

Any Hungry Husky

The Any Hungry Husky program helps mitigate the social and academic effects of campus food insecurity. By providing students, staff, and faculty with access to shelf-stable, non-perishable goods and community resources at no cost, this initiative aims to lessen the financial burden of purchasing food and supplement nutritional needs. This resource is for everyone in the UW community. Learn more here: http://www.washington.edu/anyhungryhusky/

Teen Feed: hot meals, food at University Lutheran Church