Prof.

Pat Michaelson
Office: JO 5.108 Tel 972-883-2767
Office hours: Tues and Wed by appointment, or speak to me after class.
HYPERLINK "mailto:pmichael@utdallas.edu" pmichael@utdallas.edu (Email is the best
way to reach me.)

LIT 4329.001: JANE AUSTEN

Fall 2010

COURSE SYLLABUS

Jane Austen is unusual among English authors in being both beloved by a popular
audience and respected by a scholarly one. While “Janeites” gather for Regency costume
balls and films based on Austen’s novels are guaranteed an audience, these books are far
from escapist. Indeed, scholars increasingly emphasize the degree to which Austen’s work
engages the political and social issues of her day.
In this course, we will consider Austen’s role as pioneer in the development of the
novel as well as her treatment of new economic models, of changing gender roles, and of
modern concepts of human psychology. Students will develop an “ear” for voice and irony
and an appreciation for variations within a genre. Readings will include most of Austen’s
novels, selected other texts from her time, and modern critical essays.

Requirements:
Class participation: 30%
Be present, be on time, be prepared to discuss the day’s reading. All
electronic devices must be turned off during class. Options for homeworks and quizzes
will be discussed in class.
8-10-page research paper: 30%
This assignment will be spaced over the semester: paper topic,
bibliography, introduction, draft, revision. Each segment must be completed on time for
full credit.
2 in-class exams: together 40%

Please use the following editions:

Austen: PP, E, NA from Oxford; MP, P from Norton
Burney: Oxford
Make sure you understand University policies on academic integrity, etc, posted at
go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies
Schedule:

Aug 19 Introduction
Pride and Prejudice, chapter 1

Unit 1: Genre, voice, and the problem of happiness

Aug 24 Burney, Evelina, vol. 1

Aug 26 Burney, Evelina, vol. 2

Aug 31 Burney, Evelina, vol. 3

Sept 2 Austen, Lady Susan (in Northanger Abbey volume)

Sept 7 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, vol. 1 (cptrs 1-23)

Sept 9 continued

Sept 14 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, vol. 2 (cptrs 24-42)

Perry, “Sleeping with Mr. Collins” (handout)

Sept 16 continued

Sept 21 Austen, Pride and Prejudice, vol. 3

Michaelson, “Reading Pride and Prejudice” (handout)

Sept 23 Austen, Northanger Abbey, vol. 1 (cptrs 1-15)

Sept 28 Austen, Northanger Abbey, vol. 2
Hand in potential paper topics.

Sept 30 Exam #1

Unit 2: Roles for women

Oct 5 More, from Strictures on the Modern System of

Female Education (handout)
Wollstonecraft, from Vindication of the Rights of Woman (handout)
Paper topics must be approved by this date.

Oct 7 Austen, Mansfield Park, vol. 1 (cptrs 1-18)

Oct 12 Writing workshop

Start Thursday’s reading
Annotated bibliography due.

Oct 14 Inchbald, Lovers’ Vows (pp. 329-75)

Gregory, from A Father’s Legacy (pp. 391-93)
Gisborne, from An Enquiry (p. 401 only)

Oct 19 Austen, Mansfield Park, vol. 2 (cptrs 19-31)

Oct 21 Austen, Mansfield Park, vol. 3

Introduction to paper due

Oct 26 Essays in Norton by Johnson (pp. 458-76) and

Lew (pp. 498-510)

Oct 28 Austen, Emma, vol. 1 (cptrs 1-18)

Nov 2 Austen, Emma, vol. 2 (cptrs 19-36)

Nov 4 Austen, Emma, to end

Unit 3: Austen and Romanticism

Nov 9 Wordsworth, “Tintern Abbey,” “It Is a Beauteous

Evening,” “London, 1802,” “The Old Cumberland
Beggar” (handout)
Research paper due.

Nov 11 Austen, Persuasion, cptrs. 1-10

Essay in Norton by Whateley (pp. 196-205)

Nov 16 Austen, Persuasion, to end, and original ending

Nov 18 Essays in Norton by Litz (pp. 217-23),

Astell (pp. 275-85), Johnson (pp. 286-307)

Nov 23 exam #2

Nov 25 Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 30 Austen today

Dec 2 Austen today

Revised paper due