ENH4580

Ireland, Swift, England: special author subject

C Probyn

12 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton

Objectives Students successfully completing this subject should have developed a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of a key figure in the literary and political world of eighteenth-century England. In particular, they will have observed the evolution of a manuscript into a print culture in a historical context, and they will also have the opportunity to read the works of Swift in the context of modern literary theory, particularly poststructuralism.

Synopsis This subject offers a detailed study of the works (prose and verse) of Jonathan Swift (1667- 1745) in their cultural and political contexts. It includes topics such as Swift's changing political ideologies; paradox and irony as modes of writing; conflict between Irish and English cultural (and economic) contexts, England as colonial `centre,' and Ireland as `margin', poetry and misogyny. The subject includes the opportunity to work with original texts in the outstanding Monash Swift Collection.

Assessment Seminar paper (1500 words): 25%
* Short essay (2500 words): 25%
* Long essay (5000 words): 50%

Prescribed texts

Ross A and Woolley D (eds) Jonathan Swift OUP
Swift J A tale of a tub (any complete, reliable text)
Rogers P (ed.) Jonathan Swift: The complete poems Penguin
Coursebook of secondary and supplementary readings, English Dept, Monash U