Excited
to be Excited by Literature
Often times, people
scoff at survey classes because they encompass such large periods of time (periods
rich with history, development, change and culture) that students often feel
that they aren’t really immersed in the literature and the material that is
presented. How can you condense gobs of
talent and history into a time slot as small as a semester? Well, that is
simple, it isn’t possible. But, what is
possible is to get small doses and exposure to many genres, works, authors,
point of views and perspectives throught literature in history. Some works
might fall on deaf ears with little to no connection and then, pow, something hits
home. A piece resonates with a student
and gets them excited about something they never would have come across without
a survey course. Since we are supposed
to use this blog to communicate with our classmates what we are taking away
from the course and discuss things that we don’t have time for in class, I
would like to take this opportunity, then, to express my feelings about what we
are learning.
I will be honest and
I believe I have mentioned this before. I hated Brit Lit I. I have
always loved to read nearly anything I can get my hands on. So, naturally when I went back to school that is the route I chose. I have zero idea what I will do with my English
degree, but I love to discover different forms and pieces of literature that
inspire me and make me appreciate the art form of writing (I love to write and
create) as well as the journey of literature throughout history. I seriously wanted to poke my own eyeballs
out in Survey of English Literature I. Much
of the time I thought that perhaps I should rethink my major, that maybe I was
mistaken and I didn’t love literature. But then a piece comes along, that I love,
and I get excited all over again. With
the exception of a few pieces, like sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Dream
on the Rood I seriously doubted that I was interested enough to continue on the
path for an English degree. For the
exposure to many time periods and authors, I am truly grateful because I have
felt so encouraged and inspired this semester.
I loved the romantic
period more than I thought I would and was thrilled with the Victorians (loved “The
Moonstone”), loved the Lady of Shallot and absolutely lost my mind over Aurora
Leigh. I have ordered it from amazon.com
and I can’t wait to get it in the mail and read the whole thing. How awesome that Elizabeth Barrett Browning
was such an innovator and a forward thinker.
She was smart and educated and passionate about her craft, in a time
when it was not what was expected of women.
I can’t help but wonder what
someone like her could create if she was born in a different time and place;
born into an environment of education, culture and support. I don’t consider myself a feminist, but I am
a woman writer who is passionate about writing, but can’t put bread or butter
on the table with my prose or poetry. I
carry Elizabeth Barrett Browning in high regard. I am thrilled that I found an author who has
reconfirmed for me that I do in fact love literature and desire to someday
create a work that people will study
years down the road and revere as a piece of literature that is thought
provoking and layered and most of all special.
I am having a
difficult time deciding my favorite part.
I love the, in Book two pages 385-446, how Browning compares and
contrasts using mostly subtext what her aunt “likes and dislikes,” and what Aurora
actually is by that standard. The section
is clever and witty and so well written.
I love it! I also love the
beginning of book two where Aurora discusses her confidence and passion for her
craft and who she is and who she has the potential to become. For a relatively young girl in a time where
certain expectations sat on the horizon for her, she knew she was meant for
more. I love it!
Thank you, Dr. Hague
for selecting this excerpt for us to read.
I don’t feel like I have read enough of Aurora Leigh to make a detailed
analysis of the piece but I could already easily talk about writing techniques
(a novel in verse, repetitive word choices, attention to detail, similes, etc.)
and there effect on the story and the examination of gender
roles. I can’t wait until it comes in
the mail! The reading selections this
semester have thus far been stellar and really exciting. I am beyond relieved. I am excited!
I'm so glad you like Aurora Leigh and are enjoying the other readings. You'll have to let me know what you think of the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny (or at least curious) that you mention that first part of the survey in this week's blog. I teach 254 every three or four years (and will be teaching it this spring, which is why it's on my mind), and it's a a struggle for me as a teacher, too. Part of it is that my literary expertise (and, to be honest, interest) ends with the early Renaissance; the rest of it has to do with feeling any sort of strong connection to the literature. Once you get to the Renaissance, there are enough texts to choose from that you can teach to your interests, but it's much harder with Old and Middle English texts; if Beowulf doesn't appeal, you don't have many other options.
I suppose that would be difficult to teach something that you are not excited about or interested in. I did take some positive things from the class and was exposed to pieces of history and literature that I wasn't familiar with, so that is good. The Canterbury tales weren't as painful as Beowulf. In fact, if I could comprehend them without my top secret decoder pen, i would have liked them even more. Good luck teaching it and thanks again for really providing texts that are fun to read. I appreciate it and am really enjoying the course.
ReplyDeleteI really like this post. Most people write about a certain poem and only that. We seem to have forgotten that we can write about the class and discussions and stuff we haven't had the chance to talk about. I'd almost call you a teacher's pet for writing about how you love this class but I totally understand your excitement and where you're coming from. This class really is different from Survey I and I totally see how a person can like one half of the Survey and not the other. Fortunately, with both classes I've enjoyed bits and pieces in both courses.
ReplyDeleteI will outwardly admit that I deeply resent survey classes and find struggle in them. I, along with many other fellow English majors, have typically assumed that survey classes act as a way to cram canonized literature in our heads. With that said, I never took the time to look at it from your point of view. The purpose of survey classes can act as a way for us to discover what literature we find the most fascinating. This will be my last survey class I am required to take, but if if I could I would retake my survey classes with this positive mindset. Maybe I would have gotten better grades if I had the same outlook you have about these classes :/
ReplyDeleteMy attitude in the first half of the survery was not good. I was deeply resentlful and grumpy every day about the painful material that I struggled so much with. So, I totally get it. We pay a huge chunk of cash to take a class we have zero interest in and then struggle to make it through because it is required. I really believe that different Professors and different approaches can make all the difference in the world. I have had the same experience with some history courses as well. A professor who switches it up and tries somtheing out of the box can take tired, dry material and make it fresh. I still have two more survey's to go. Wish me luck.
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