UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON

ENLT 213: INTRODUCTION TO SATIRE

Richard H. Passon

Spring, 2002

COURSE DESCRIPTION

An exploration of the historial, critical, and conceptual nature of satire, including established satirical conventions and techniques.  Representative examples in fiction, drama, and poetry, from a variety of literary periods, will be considered.  Though the course will focus on satirical literature, examples of satire from other media (especially film) will be sampled.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. The student should be able to develop an extended descriptive definition of the term satire, with some clear sense of the range of the term..

2. The student should be able to trace the historical development of satire, especially in literary media, especially in English.

3. The student should be able to identify major satiric forms and genres, both in literature and other media.

4. The student should be able to use accurately and exemplify coherently the major satiric devices and conventions, and to define the most common literary terms associated with works of satire.

5. The student should be able to relate satire to other world views and attitudes expressed in literature and the arts.

6. The student should be able to express reasonable critical judgements, orally and, especially,  in written form, about satiric pieces.

7. The student should be able to name and discuss knowledgeably major satirists who wrote in English and one or two representative works of these artists.

8. The student should be able to distinguish a work of satire from a piece of comedy, tragedy, or other genre.

WORK OF THE COURSE

1.0 The minimum required reading for the course includes all the material outlined in the schedule of classes.  Classes will be conducted with the expectation that all students will have read the assigned pieces before the class at which they are to be discussed.  There will be regular, in-class writing assignments (at least weekly), based on the reading assignments for the week.  In-class writing will ususally consist of one to three paragraphs.

2.0 Assignments

There will be three assignments, in addition to the scheduled examinations.  One will be a book review on a satiric novel from an assigned list.  The second will involve active participation in  a class discussion concerning a satiric film.  The third will be an original piece of satire.  Detailed descriptions of each assignment will be given later.  Due dates and relative weights toward the final grade for each assignment follow:

2.1 Book Review: 10%.

        First draft due in advance.          

2.2 Class Discussion:  10%.

        Draft of written outline and bibliography due in advance.

2.3 Original Satire: 15%.

        First draft due in advance.

3.0 Examinations

There will be two scheduled examinations during the semester and a comprehensive final examination.  The scheduled examinations  are worth 15% each;  the final, to be scheduled by the Registrar during finals week, is worth 20%.

4.0 Grading Weights

5.0 Class Attendance

Regular attendance at all classes is expected of all students.  Because certain emergencies may arise during the course of the semester, students will be allowed to be absent up to (but no more than) four (4) classes.  This cut policy does NOT apply to scheduled examinations and the final.  Students who miss class more than four times during the course of the semester will NOT be completing the work of the course.

6.0 Assignments and Exams- On Time

All students are expected to attend scheduled examinations during the course of the semester and the final examination.  Unless an excuse is arranged in advance, makeup exams will not be given.  Assignments submitted after the due date will NOT be accepted unless an extension is arranged in advance.  Students who presume excuses or extensions may be disappointed.

7.0 Class Participation

Students are urged to be active participants in class.  Questions and comments are encouraged at any time.  Students will NOT be ridiculed for asking questions, nor will such ridicule be tolerated.  I reserve the right to postpone what might have to be a long answer until some time after class.

8.0 Conferences

I will be available for individual questions or comments about any matter relating to the course a few minutes before and after each class.    Regularly scheduled office hours will be announced for the semester.  Conferences in my office may also be arranged by appointment.

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS