ENGL 371 (Schedule #26725)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Spring 2012
Tues-Thurs 11am-12:15pm :: 429 Hibbs Hall
Prof. David Golumbia
Office: 324D Hibbs Hall
Spring 2012 Office Hours: Tues 12:30-3:00pm

American Literary Beginnings

This class examines some of the many ways in which writing and text mattered to the centuries-long, globe-spanning encounters between the peoples of Europe and those of what we now call North and South America. Rather than taking a broad survey, we will focus in on a limited number of the period's most critical figures, sites, and events, especially those that continue to inform the political and cultural worlds today. Despite our tight focus, we will read widely across language, period, and genre, and discuss colonial encounters across many parts of the "New World." We'll focus in particular on 1) the earliest encounter texts (particularly those of Columbus, Las Casas, Bernal Diaz, and Cortés), 2) Virginia texts (including writers such as John Smith, Sir Walter Raleigh, John Rolfe, and Thomas Jefferson), and 3) texts of particular formal interest such as those of Cabeza de Vaca, Olaudah Equiano, Mary Rowlandson, and historians such as Oviedo, Bernardino de Sahagún, and William H. Prescott. We'll look at least briefly at texts by non-Europeans that survived the encounter, including some of the Aztec codices and the interpretation of Maya glyphs, and we'll take an occasional dip into the rich secondary literature on these topics and texts. We'll also try to cram in at least a couple of contemporary retellings/re-interpretations of these events, including some recent documentaries about the histories of Mexico and Central America, and films like The New World. Students write two short papers and a longer final paper.

Books (please note: you must obtain the exact editions indicated below)

• Christopher Columbus, The Four Voyages, ed. and trans. J. M. Cohen. New York: Penguin, 1969.
• Bartolemé de Las Casas, An Account, Much Abbreviated, of the Destruction of the Indies, with Related Texts, ed. Franklin W. Knight, trans. Andrew Hurley. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2003.
• Miguel León-Portilla, ed., The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Boston: Beacon Press, 2006. (recommended to purchase this 2006 edition, but there are electronic copies & copies on reserve of other editions)
• Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain, ed. and trans. J. M. Cohen. New York: Penguin, 1963.
• Captain John Smith, Writings; With Other Narratives of Roanoke, Jamestown, and the First English Settlement of North America, ed. James Horn. New York: Library of America, 2007.

Other Primary Texts (on reserve, and/or available online or as library eTexts; you are not expected to purchase these books)

• Hernan Cortés, Letters from Mexico, ed. and trans. Anthony Pagden. Yale University Press, 1986.
• Friar Diego de Landa, Yucatan Before and After the Conquest
• Garcilaso de la Vega, The Incas
• William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation
• Roger Williams, A Key Into the Language of America
• Mary Rowlandson, A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
• Hannah Dustin, A Notable Exploit...
• William Byrd, History of the Dividing Line (the non-secret version)
• Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the Present State of Virginia

Online Texts

• Hernán Cortés, "Second Letter," http://mith.umd.edu//eada/html/display.php?docs=cortez_letter2.xml&action=show
• Miguel León-Portilla, ed., The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico, http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/mayan/aztec.html
• Amerigo Vespuci, letters, http://mith.umd.edu//eada/html/display.php?docs=vespucci_letters.xml&action=show
• Captain John Smith, A True Relation of Occurrences and Accidents in Virginia, 1608, http://mith.umd.edu//eada/html/display.php?docs=smith_truerelation.xml&action=show
• Captain John Smith, A Map of Virginia. With a Description of the Countrey, the Commodities, People, Government and Religion, http://mith.umd.edu//eada/html/display.php?docs=smith_map.xml&action=show

Films (on reserve)

• Terence Malick, dir., The New World (USA, 2005)
• Werner Herzog, dir., Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Germany, 1972)
• Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg, dirs., Pocahontas (USA, 1995)

Secondary Texts (on reserve, and/or available online or as library eTexts; you are not expected to purchase these books)

• Margarita Zamora, Reading Columbus (University of California Press, 1993; eText available through VCU Library)
• Walden Browne, Sahagún and the Transition to Modernity (University of OK Press, 2000)
• Alfred Crosby, The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492
• Gavin Menzies, 1421: The Year China Discovered America
• Charles Mann, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
• Charles Mann, 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
• Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan, 1517-1570
• Tzvetan Todorov, The Conquest of America: The Question of the Other
• Stephen Greenblatt, Marvelous Possessions: The Wonder of the New World
• Gesa Mackenthun, Metaphors of Dispossession: American Beginnings and the Translation of Empire, 1492-1637
• Gordon F. Sayre, Les Sauvage Americains: Representations of Native Americans in French and English Colonial Literature

Links

• List of oral presentation topics with sign-up sheet
• Guide to oral presentations and written follow-up paper
• First short paper assignment with suggested topics
• Final short paper assignment with suggested topics

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on written exercises and course participation as follows:

• Written work: three short papers, 6-7 pages or about 1500 words each (20% each, 60% total)
  Three short papers on research questions that will be presented by the instructor, or a related topic that must be pre-approved by the instructor. One of the short papers will be a more detailed version of the oral presentation assignment.
• One 5-7 minute oral presentation on a topic related to the course (20%)
  Throughout the semester students will present brief summary reports to the class about writers, topics, and readings that are not otherwise covered by the course syllabus. A signup sheet for these topics and the dates on which they are assigned will be developed during the first two weeks of the term. Students are expected to and in the written assignment corresponding to their oral report within 1 class week of the oral report. Students are welcome to hand in the paper simultaneously with the oral report, but an additional week is provided for students to incorporate discussion feedback received during the oral presentation.
• Participation (20%)
  This class is exclusively devoted to the discussion of and thought about reading, writing, and speaking. A great deal of the class will involve in-class reading and watching of media objects. The class only works if you come to the class having read the assignment, prepared to say something about the text. This participation grade does not include the separate grade for the oral presentation above. Attendance will be taken every day via sign-up sheet, and VCU's policies on attendance (see below) will be followed precisely.

Policies

• This course is taught primarily via discussion. Your attendance and participation are vital to its success. A significant portion of your grade (20%) depends on your class participation. Because the class meets only once a week, more than one unexcused absence will count against your final course grade. 3 unexcused absences results in automatic failure of the course, in accordance with College guidelines.
• No late work is accepted in this class. Work handed in late is automatically marked down one-third grade (e.g., a B becomes a B-) for each day it is late, and after one week becomes a failing grade for the assignment.
• You are expected to have done the primary reading and any other primary course assignments before the beginning of course each week.
• All work in this course is subject to the University's Honor Code. You may work in teams for some assignments, but all written work must be solely your own, and any reliance on published work must be properly cited.
• Final grades for the course will not be released until the entire class has submitted online course evaluations.

IMPORTANT OFFICIAL VCU INFORMATION

VCU Statement on Safety

What to know and do to be prepared for emergencies at VCU:

• Sign up to receive VCU text messaging alerts (www.vcu.edu/alert/notify). Keep your information up-to-date.
• Know the safe evacuation route from each of your classrooms. Emergency evacuation routes are posted in on-campus classrooms.
• Listen for and follow instructions from VCU or other designated authorities.
• Know where to go for additional emergency information (www.vcu.edu/alert).
• Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police (828-1234). Report suspicious activities and objects.

VCU Honor System

Virginia Commonwealth University recognizes that honesty, truth, and integrity are values central to its mission as an institution of higher education. The Honor System is built on the idea that a person’s honor is his/her most cherished attribute. A foundation of honor is essential to a community devoted to learning. Within this community, respect and harmony must coexist. The Honor System is the policy of VCU that defines the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs.

The Honor System states that faculty members are responsible for:

• Understanding the procedures whereby faculty handles suspected instances of academic dishonesty. Faculty are to report any infraction of the VCU Honor System according to the procedures outlined in our policy.
• Developing an instructional environment that reflects a commitment to maintaining and enforcing academic integrity. Faculty should discuss the VCU Honor System at the onset of each course and mention it in course syllabi.
• Handling every suspected or admitted instance of violation of the provisions of this policy in accordance with procedures set forth in the policy.

The Honor System in its entirety can be reviewed on the Web at
http://www.provost.vcu.edu/pdfs/Honor_system_policy.pdf or it can be found in the 2011-12 VCU Insider at http://www.students.vcu.edu/insider.html.

The Honor System must be upheld and enforced by each member of the Virginia Commonwealth University community. The fundamental attributes of our community are honor and integrity. We are privileged to operate with this Honor System.

Statement on Americans with Disabilities Act

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 require Virginia Commonwealth University to provide an 'academic adjustment' and/or a 'reasonable accommodation' to any qualified individual with a physical or mental disability who self-identifies as having such. Students should contact the Disability Support Services office on the Monroe Park Campus (828-2253) or on the MCV Campus (828-9782) for appropriate academic adjustments or accommodations.

VCU Guidelines for Student Conduct

VCU faculty play a critical role in helping to build an environment that is conducive to the academic success of our students. As you know, VCU has policies and procedures designed to create an environment conducive to academic excellence. One of these policies and procedures can be found in a document entitled “Guidelines for Faculty Members Regarding Student Conduct in the Instructional Settings.” This document is available on the VCU Web at http://www.provost.vcu.edu/pdfs/FacultyGuideToStudentConductInInstructionalSettings.pdf or it can be found in the 2011-12 VCU Insider.

Understanding these guidelines will help you to encourage classroom behavior that does not detract from the quality of each student’s educational experience. Please read the document and think about your role in promoting a University culture based on mutual respect and civility.

As a reminder, both faculty and students should turn off cell phones and pagers while in the classroom.

Important Dates

Important dates for the Spring 2012 semester are available at:
http://academiccalendars.vcu.edu/?term=Spring+2012

VCU Mobile

The VCU Mobile application is a valuable tool to get the latest VCU information on the go. The application contains helpful information including the VCU directory, events, course schedules, campus maps, athletics and general VCU news, emergency information, library resources, Blackboard and more. To download the application on your smart phone or for more information, please visit http://m.vcu.edu/

Week-by-Week Syllabus

Week One. First Contacts.

• Tues Jan 17. Introduction. No text.
• Thurs Jan 19. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 1-36

Week Two. First Contacts.

• Tues Jan 24. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 37-76
• Thurs Jan 26. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 77-126

Week Three. First Contacts.

• Tues Jan 31. Margarita Zamora, Reading Columbus, pages 1-62
• Thurs Feb 2. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 127-202

Week Four. First Contacts.

• Tues Feb 7. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 203-279
• Thurs Feb 9. Columbus, The Four Voyages, pages 283-end

Week Five. First Contacts.

• Tues Feb 14. Las Casas, An Account, Much Abbreviated..., pages vi-47
• Thurs Feb 16. Las Casas, An Account, Much Abbreviated..., pages 48-end

Week Six. Tenochtitlan.

• Tues Feb 21. No class; instructor away
• Thurs Feb 23. Hernán Cortés, Second Letter (online)

Week Seven. Tenochtitlan.

• Tues Feb 28. Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain, pages 1-188
• Thurs Mar 1. Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain, pages 189-end

Week Eight. Tenochtitlan.

• Tues Mar 6. Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The Conquest of New Spain, remainder. Miguel León-Portilla, ed., The Broken Spears, through Chapter 4. Read online if you do not have the print or eBook version.
• Thurs Mar 8. Miguel León-Portilla, ed., The Broken Spears, Chapter 5-end. First short paper due.

Week Nine. Spring Break

• Tues Mar 13. No class
• Thurs Mar 15. No class

Week Ten. El Dorado & The Amazon.

• Tues Mar 20. "Treaty of Tordesilhas"; Pero Vaz de Caminha, "Letter" (Blackboard)
• Thurs Mar 22. Sir Walter Raleigh, The Discovery of the Rich and Beautiful Land of Guiana (Blackboard)

Week Eleven. El Dorado & The Amazon.

• Tues Mar 27. Gonzalo Pizarro, "Letter to the King, Tomebamba, Sep 3, 1542" (Blackboard); Gaspar de Carvajal, pages 167-202 of "Carvajal's Account" from Relación del nuevo descubrimiento del famoso río Grande que descubrió por muy gran ventura el capitán Francisco de Orellana (Blackboard)
• Thurs Mar 29. No class; instructor away

Week Twelve. El Dorado & The Amazon.

• Tues Apr 3. Gaspar de Carvajal, pages 202-242 of "Carvajal's Account" from Relación del nuevo descubrimiento del famoso río Grande que descubrió por muy gran ventura el capitán Francisco de Orellana (Blackboard)
• Thurs Apr 5. Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Week Thirteen. Virginia.

• Tues Apr 10. Arthur Barlowe, "Discourse of the First Voyage" (in John Smith, Writings, pp. 819-830)
• Thurs Apr 12. Thomas Harriot, A Briefe and True Report of the New-Found Land of Virginia (in John Smith, Writings, pp. 874-905)

Week Fourteen. Virginia.

• Tues Apr 17. The New World
• Thurs Apr 19. John Rolfe, A True Relation of the State of Virginia (in John Smith, Writings, pp. 1174-1185)

Week Fifteen. Virginia.

• Tues Apr 24. Captain John Smith, "A True Relation" (in Writings, pp. 1-36); The Generall Historie, introductory material and "The First Booke" (in Writings, pp. 200-264)
• Thurs Apr 26. Captain John Smith, The Generall Historie, "The Third Booke" (in Writings, pp. 306-409)

Week Sixteen. Virginia.

• Tues May 1. Pocahontas

Second short paper due in my English Dept mailbox (Hibbs Hall), or in Blackboard or via email during the final exam period for this course. There is no other final exam for the course.

Last updated April 24, 2012.