English Biography and Autobiography
in the Eighteenth Century

English 318, Spring 2010

Jack Lynch

Course Description

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January — February — March — April

Office: (973) 353-5204; 516 Hill Hall.

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 2:30–4:00, and by appointment (appointments are best).

Home: (609) 882-4642 (before 10:00 p.m.!).

E–mail: jlynch@andromeda.rutgers.edu (the best way to reach me).

Listserv: Biography @ andromeda.rutgers.edu (for the whole class).

Course Requirements

Written Assignments: There will be one argumentative paper of around 2,500 words (ten pages). There are also several short exercises, which will be explained as they get closer. There is no final exam.
Attendance: Almost any excuse, given in advance (in person, by phone, or by E-mail), will receive my blessing. Absences not excused in advance will be frowned upon, and your final grade will be lowered by half a grade for each unexcused absence. The same policy applies to late papers: I'll grant extensions, but only if you talk to me before the due date.
Computing: Some essential information will be available only electronically. All students therefore must have an E-mail account by the end of the first week of classes, and must be able to use the World Wide Web.
Plagiarism: It should go without saying, but all work in this class must be your own. Handing in someone else's work as your own will result in an F for the course with no second chance, and may result in disciplinary action. I encourage you to use outside sources, but you have to cite anything you didn't write yourself. If you have even an inkling of a doubt about what's legitimate or how to cite something, see me before handing in the paper.
Readings: The following books are available from New Jersey Books (not the Rutgers Bookstore):
- James Boswell, Boswell's London Journal, Yale, ISBN: 0300093012. $18.
- James Boswell, The Life of Johnson, ed. Chapman, Oxford, ISBN: 0192835319. $19.
- John Bunyan, Grace Abounding with Other Spiritual Autobiographies, ed. Stachniewski and Pacheco, Oxford, ISBN: 0192821326. $10.
- Frances Burney, A Known Scribbler, ed. Crump, Broadview, ISBN: 014044033X. $15.
- Olaudah Equiano, The Life of Olaudah Equiano, Dover, ISBN: 048640661X. $2.50.
- Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, ed. Masur, Bedford, ISBN: 0312404158. $15.
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Confessions, ed. Cohen, Penguin, ISBN: 014044033X. $13.
As always, I've worked hard to find the cheapest reliable editions in print. I give the approximate list prices; secondhand copies and discount vendors should let you cut your expenses substantially. Many readings will also be available on-line; a few will be available only on-line.

Schedule of Class Meetings