Seminar #2 (European Romanticism, Blake & Goethe):
DUE: See ENG 109 Course Plan

To earn full points for Seminar #2, you must:

1. Submit complete Seminar #2 Written Preparation Notes, which be collected at the end of class on the date due; and
2. be in class to engage in Seminar #2 In-Class Participation, summaries of which will be recorded in an in-class Seminar #2 Group Report to be collected at the end of class on the due date.

Part 1.  Defining Characteristics of European Romanticism
Identify and briefly explain two significant general characteristics of Romantic Period that you can see expressed in assigned Songs of Innocence and Experience by Blake and/or in Faust by Goethe.  Illustrate each of the two identified Romanticist characteristics by citing well-selected examples from the lives and assigned literary works of Blake and/or Goethe, and be prepared to explain how these cited examples illustrate the two identified general characteristics of European Romanticism.  Be sure to cite your sources.

Part 2.  William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience
Compare/Contrast significant points of similarity and/or difference between at least one assigned Song of Innocence and at least one assigned Song of Experience.  Use your comparative analysis of selected similarities/differences to help yourself and other ENG 109 students better understand Blake’s conception of the states of innocence and experience, and/or the meaning and poetic structure of the selected poems.  Illustrate your points of similarity and/or difference with well-selected specific examples from the selected poems (please reference page and line numbers).  Be prepared to explain why you consider these points significant. 

Part 3. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust  - do one of the following:

a.  Character Analysis of Mephistopheles or Faust:  The Prologue and Part I of Goethe’s play Faust introduce its two main characters:  Mephistopheles and Faust.  Write a character analysis of either Mephistopheles or Faust, focusing on what you consider to be one to two keys to understanding that character.  Illustrate your analysis of the selected main character by citing relevant passages from Goethe’s play (please reference page and line numbers).

OR . . .

Seminar #2 Learning Goals: 
From ENG 109 Syllabus: ENG 109 Learning Outcomes:

A. Knowledge of Western World Literature

1.  Identify the timeframes, significant intellectual trends and cultural values, and favored literary genres of major Western literary-historical periods of the late 18^th to the early 21^st centuries
(for example, late Enlightenment, Romanticism, Realism, Symbolism, Aestheticism, Modernism, Absurdist and Existential literature, Magical Realism, Post-Modernism, Feminism, Colonialism and Post-Colonialism, and/or contemporary global trends).
2.  Identify major writers and their works representative of Modern Western literary-historical periods.
3. Explain and illustrate how these writers and works embody significant characteristics of these literary-historical periods.
. . . .

B. Literary Analysis and Interpretation

5.  Develop persuasive individual interpretations of literature from literary-historical periods of Modern Western literature based on close reading, using pertinent evidence from the literary texts.
6.  Apply knowledge of Modern Western literary history, cultures, genres, and authors, as well as different literary critical approaches, to individual and comparative analysis of literary texts.
7. Use effective oral and written communication to express literary analyses and interpretations, developed both independently and collaboratively.
8.  Avoid plagiarism by citing course and any outside primary and secondary sources using an acceptable academic documentation style [i.e. MLA].