During the Enlightenment, key thinkers like Voltaire believed that one could use reason and rational thought to combat the forces of ignorance, tyranny, and repression that had come to be associated with the Church and the absolutist monarchic government. In this unit, we will begin by thinking critically about these (and other) Enlightenment principles, acquainting ourselves with the socio-historical context in which they were developed and then exploring the way in which this “Enlightened” frame of mind gave rise to the period’s major literary trends—from political satire to Alexander Pope’s famous mock-epic, The Rape of the Lock.
Unit 1 Time Advisory closeThis unit should take you 36 hours to complete.
☐ Subunit 1.1: 3 hours
☐ Subunit 1.2: 6 hours
☐ Subunit 1.3: 9 hours
☐ Subunit 1.4: 18 hours
Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
UNIT ONE EXPLANATION OF GRADED ASSIGNMENTS
After working through the Unit One course materials, you will need to do the following graded assignments
Outline the major trends of philosophical thought in the Enlightenment period.
Describe how the elevated language functions in Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock.”
Explain the importance of reappearing classical motifs in Restoration literature.
UNIT ONE ESSAY(Exam Grade)
Is it possible to separate the literary and historical value
of a book from its message and purpose? Other selections in this unit have dual
roles; they are important historical documents that can be read for information
on past cultures, or read as pure literature, just for the story. On the discussion wall post a link
to a video or article that is related directly to the readings for the unit and
explain the significance on the discussion wall.