British Literary Tradition 1, spring 2001 (2101/03) Paper 3

Write a 3-4 page paper on one of the following topics, or develop your own topic involving Behn, Congreve, Pope, Swift, or Montagu. (If you choose to come up with your own topic—and I strongly encourage you to do so—please run it by me no later than Wednesday 4/18).

Papers should be organized by claims and supported by analysis of textual specifics. Keep your discussions focussed on the text; the more detailed attention you pay to how the text works, the better. Each question asks you to address the "project" of the poem, and all papers should consider both what the poem is doing and how it does it. (For example, the project of Oroonoko could be seen as critiquing the modern world with a heroic character, juxtaposing such a heroic model with a "low" reality to expose the latter.)

a) Discuss the relationship between the Africa section of Oroonoko and the Surinam section. Some questions to consider could be: Why does Behn organize the work this way? Do the two parts work in the same way? What is the relationship between them? How do they work together to make the book’s larger point?

b) Compare Pope’s toilet scene in "The Rape of the Lock" with Swift’s in "The Lady’s Dressing Room." Are they each doing the same thing? Do they work in the same way? Explain what the project of each poem is, and then compare/contrast these.

c) How does Montagu answer Swift? Be specific about the project of Swift’s poem and the terms of Montagu’s answer (does she respond in Swift’s terms, or answer him by changing them?)

Revised (yes, you are required to exchange drafts with a friend, as always: editing worksheets are available on my homepage), final drafts are due in class on Monday (4/23)—please hand in your edited draft along with your final paper.