Jane Austen and Ethics
ENGL 4301: Studies in Selected Authors / PHIL 3341: Philosophy and Literature
Spring 2014
Dr. Kvande and Dr. Schwartz

Course Description

Jane Austen is today one of the most recognized names in British literature, familiar from her novels themselves, modern film versions, and updated adaptations. One reason she remains so compelling to us is that her novels present ethical dilemmas and ethical ideas. In this course, we will read all of Austen’s major novels and consider them through the lenses of both literary and philosophical analysis, focusing on what they have to say about ethics: what constitutes moral action? What are the distinctively Austenian virtues and how do they relate to living a good life? What is the right ethical relation between the self and others? What are the ethics of reading Austen and how do we balance an understanding of her context, her irony, and her moral judgments?

Because this is a co-taught class, students will be assessed by both professors jointly regardless of which section of the course they are registered for.

Learning Outcomes and Methods of Assessment
By the end of this course, students should be able to think philosophically about literary texts and to think literarily about philosophical questions. Students will also develop their skills in analyzing texts through close readings and in constructing written arguments about literary texts. Students should also understand and engage with Austen's normative perspective and demonstrate familiarity with her works.

These outcomes will be assessed through class discussions, close reading papers, and longer papers.

Required Texts

Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. David Ross. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. ISBN 9780199213610.

Austen, Jane. Emma. 1815. Ed. Kristin Flieger Samuelian. Peterborough: Broadview, 2004. ISBN 978155113210.

—. Mansfield Park. 1814.  Ed. Jane Sturrock. Peterborough: Broadview, 2001. ISBN 9781441110981.

—. Northanger Abbey. 1817. Ed. Claire Grogan. 2^nd ed. Peterborough: Broadview, 2002. ISBN 9781551114798.

—. Persuasion. 1817. Ed. Linda Bree. Peterborough: Broadview, 1998. ISBN 9781551111315.

—. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Ed. Robert P. Irvine. Peterborough: Broadview, 2002. ISBN 9781551110288.

—. Sense and Sensibility. 1811. Ed. Kathleen James-Cavan. Peterborough: Broadview, 2001. ISBN 9781551111254.

Required Work

Attendance: You are required to attend every class. You may miss three classes without penalty; each subsequent absence will lower your course grade by one full letter grade.  Three instances of lateness will be counted as an absence.

Assigned work: Work (both writing and reading assignments) is due in class on the date given on the syllabus. Late work will not be accepted and will earn a zero, although extensions, if requested at least 24 hours before the deadline, may be given when circumstances warrant.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism---presenting as your own the words or ideas of another---is cheating, and as such is dishonest and wrong. But it also means you deny yourself the chance to learn something. If you are having difficulty with an assignment, it is far better to see one of us for help than to cheat:  not only will you learn more, you will also avoid the penalties for plagiarism. Plagiarism or other forms of cheating will result, at minimum, in a zero for the assignment and in a report of the incident to the Department Head, the Dean, and the Office of Student Conduct. All the work you do for this class must be yours, and all your work for this class must be written for this class. Remember, information does not have to be copied verbatim in order to constitute plagiarism. The bottom line is that plagiarism is the use of someone else=s words or ideas, whether published or not, without proper credit given through citation. We will work on this in class, but if you still feel unclear, please see one of us for help.

Special accommodations:  If you need special accommodations because of a documented disability, please discuss this with me as soon as possible. You’ll need to present verification from Student Disability Services (335 West Hall; 742-2405), since instructors are not allowed to provide accommodations until that verification has been presented. Your privacy will always be respected.

Cell Phone and Computers in Class: There are no cell phones or computers allowed in class. Cell phones should not be visible. Cell phone use in class is grounds for dismissal. If you must use your laptop or tablet to take notes please come talk to either of us for an exception to the policy. In any event, every student is required to have a print copy of all of the texts and to bring them to class.