Wordsworth

William Wordsworth (1770–1850)

• Poems 
• "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
• "London, 1802"
• "Character of the Happy Warrior"
• "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent’s Narrow Room"
• "Scorn not the Sonnet"
• "She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways"
• "She Was a Phantom of Delight"
• "The World Is Too Much With Us" 

Milton, Donne, and Herrick

John Milton

• Notes: Read the first five paragraphs and copy five interesting notes on John Milton into your notes. 
• Read Milton's poem "On Shakespeare"
• 1. What will Shakespeare's lasting monument be, according to Milton.  Was he correct?
• Read this selection from his essay "Of Education" (if you would like to read the entire essay, you may do so at Dartmouth)
• 2. What are two aspects of Milton's ideal education that you like or dislike? Explain.
• 3. Name one aspect of Milton's ideal education that surprised you?  Explain.

• Read "When I Consider How My Light is Spent"
• 4.  
• a.  How might Matthew 25: 14--30 relate to this poem?
• b. How might this poem relate to the poet losing his own eye-sight.  Explain. 

• Read one more piece of your choice from Dartmouth.
• 5.  Copy down one fine line you like and tell us why you like it.

 

 
• End of Milton Assignment

• For Further Reading:

• The next thing to read if you like Milton: Read Book 1 of Paradise Lost 

•  John Milton Reading Room at Dartmouth. 

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John Donne

Now, we read a bit of John Donne.

• Brief Biographical Information
• (1572--1631), born in London, England
• Roman Catholic in His Upbringing
• In fact, though he attends both Oxford and Cambridge, he receives no degree because he will not take the Oath of Allegiance. 

• He works as a lawyer. 

• His brother dies in prison in 1593.  Henry had given sanctuary to a Roman Catholic priest, was put in prison, contracted a fever, and died.  

• John Donne questions his own faith. 

• Donne begins writing in earnest (satires and poetry) around this time (1593ish). 

• He inherits a fortune but squanders it on foolish living. 

• His career is advancing, though, and, later, in 1601, he marries Anne More, the niece of a legal patron...which proved disastrous (imprisonment, loss of post, etc.). 

• In 1607, King James wishes to make him a pastor.  Donne refuses. 

• In 1610-11 he writes tracts that show a public reversal of his religious opinion (from Roman Catholic to Anglican). 

• In 1616, Donne finally concedes to the King's pressure and becomes a Royal Chaplain.

• Anne dies in 1617, age 33, after giving birth their twelfth child. 

• Donne writes no more love sonnets. 

• Donne publishes meditations (1624). 

• Donne dies in 1631, after writing "Hymn to God, in My Sickness."

• For these readings and questions, we will use Perrine's literature.  Please read the following:
•  "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," 801 ("A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning")
• "At the round earth's imagined corners," 956 (why did I not capitalize?)
• "Death, be not proud," 971
• "Break of Day," 747
• Any Others You Wish
• For Fun:
• Can you Find Metallica's Song Title in Donne's Meditation XVII

•  Journal: John Donne: Answer questions for any one of the poems given.  Please provide complete answers in complete sentences.

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* Robert Herrick



* Robert Herrick (1591--1674)

• Royalist
• At age 22, enters Cambridge
• Son of Ben (poetry group) 
• Ordained in 1623
• Given Orders in Devon in 1629 (leaving London for the southwest of England)
• Ejected from his vicarage in 1647 when he would not sign the Solemn League and Covenant. 
• Restored to his post in 1662 (Charles II was restored in 1660).
• Dies in 1647 (age 83).

* Reading:

• Delight in Disorder
• To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time
• When he would have his Verses Read 
• To the King...
• Read at Least Two More of Your Choice 
• Many Herrick Poems

 * Journal 18: John Donne and Robert Herrick

• In one paragraph, describe a key difference between John Donne and Robert Herrick's style.  Incorporate at least one quotation from a poem from either poet to support your ideas.
• The musician Charles Costa goes by the name of King Charles.  What kind of image do you think he is projecting?  Is his image intended to invoke a Cavalier/Royalist or a Roundhead/Commonwealth connotation?  Explain. 

Prince Rupert (example of cavalier dress):

Early English Essays

Sir Francis Bacon

Read the first two essays from Francis Bacon ("Of Truth", "Of Innovation").




Notes:

• "Of Truth" (the harder essay)
• He opens with Pilate's famous question to Christ. 
• He notes that Skeptics (both the ancient sect and the modern, rather bloodless version) are to be found positing similar statements ("What is truth?" There is no absolute truth, etc.). 
• He posits that lies may look prettier than the natural truth.
• Some say fiction and poetry is the wine of demons ("vinum daemonum"). 
• He says those "lies" are transitory at worst and that the dangerous lies are those that take up residence in the soul. 
• He quotes Lucretius the pagan Epicurean who recognized that truth is the best vantage point possible for mankind (better than ship-watching from shore, better than watching a battle from a castle window).
• He breaks forth in glorious tripartite parallelisms as he meditates on the creation of the world and reason. 
• He follows Montaigne in the thought that lies are shameful because they show boldness or disrespect toward God and cowardice toward man.  We should be the reverse (reverent toward God and bold and true on earth).
• He takes the question in Luke 18 ("Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"), and forms it into a statement to conclude his essay. 

• "Of Innovation" (the easier essay)
• He considers innovation both positive and negative. 
• Medicine is a good example of generally positive innovation. 
• Consider how nature innovates without jarring revolution. 
• We should beware governmental innovation. 
• He concludes with a wonderful thought from Jeremiah 6:16.

Writing Assignment: Journal

• In five fine sentences, respond to either of the essays with your agreement, disagreement, and further thoughts on the given subject (truth or innovation).

* Next read an essay from Samuel Johnson.  You may read a longer essay on Shakespeare in the book above (pg. 109) or you may read a shorter piece on procrastination here.

• 10.3 From yesterday's Samuel Johnson reading:  What did Johnson think of Milton's decision not to use rhyme and instead employ blank verse in his epic work?
• Review your rhetoric, and peruse this condensed lesson on rhetorical structure.
• 10.4  Find at least five examples of rhetorical schemes in Johnson's writing (you may quote from either or both essays by Johnson).  Note the scheme (such as parallelism) and quote the example from the text. 

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Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift

Assignment:

• Add to Terms: Satire
• Read: A Modest Proposal
• Optional Extra Reading
• Read: A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed (it's a sad, sad world, sometimes)

• For More Background (not required):

• Jonathan Swift
• Introduction to "A Modest Proposal"

* Journal Response: Swift

• "A Modest Proposal": There is one paragraph featuring a proliferation of colons.  Explain what these colons help to create and how this paragraph exhibits a shift in tone. 

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Samuel Johnson (1709--1784)

"One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts."  

Johnson famously loved the coffee-house--with its robust, heated conversations, diatribes, and banter--featuring beer's new competitor: tea...and swallowed gallons of leaf-infused aqua vitae.  Thus begins the our traditional connection between coffee-houses and literary genius.    

Samuel Johnson (1709--1784)

Notes:

• Samuel Johnson: Short Biographical Sketch
• Get his vital details (origins, years, and education)
• How much would his government pension of 300 pounds be worth today in U.S. dollars?  List your sources, please.   

• Johnson's Works, Too Briefly
•  What kind of writing (genres) is Johnson famous for?

Reading Assignment and Journal

• Three Essays to Read and Accompanying Journal Questions

For More:

• Conversation in Art and Life

• Neoclassical Wit

• Harvard Blog