This course examines the writings of John Milton and his contemporaries - including John Dryden, Andrew Marvell, and Thomas Hobbes - within the context of the English Revolution and its aftermath. These writings, from pamphlets to poetry, were at the heart of debates on politics, religion, marriage, monarchy and civil society.

 1 x 2hr seminar per week over ten weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Honours options in English Literature and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

ENGLIT4030 Writing the English Revolution

The standard assessments for this course are:  

■ Word-mapping Exercise (1500 words): 25% 

■ Essay (3000 words): 50% 

■ Seminar presentation of 7 minutes: 15% 

■ Seminar contribution: 10% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the Word-mapping Exercise (1500 words), but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the Essay (3000 words), but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ Recorded presentation or one-to-one presentation / discussion/Q&A with staff (where presentation would normally be in class) as alternative to seminar presentation.

■ Written self-evaluation reflecting on seminar contribution or written response to seminar material in advance or after seminar as alternative to seminar contribution.

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ study a range of poetry and prose written in the seventeenth century 

■ consider these texts in the light of critical and historical approaches to radical political change 

■ understand the relationship between literature, history, politics and religion in a period where the boundaries are blurred 

■ develop independent research skills through formulating and researching essay topics with appropriate guidance

■ develop skills in the art of critical writing at the appropriate level.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ write an assessment of available critical and historical approaches to the English Revolution, and identify the approaches that they find most convincing 

■ critically assess the language and themes of the literature of the English Revolution

■ write in a critical and informed way about genres and techniques in seventeenth-century literature 

■ develop an autonomous research interest in the field of the English Revolution 

■ communicate responses to the material studied on the course both orally and in written form through coherent and sustained argument.