February 1: Said, Orientalism
1. Said's analysis of the nature of Western representation of the "Orient"--which he generally defines as including Asia, the Middle East, and Africa--can be somewhat dense at times. To help with your reading, try to focus on identifying a few basic issues in Said's essay. What is "Orientalism" Can Said's idea of it be summed up in a sentence or two? Who or what is the subject of study for the Orientalist? What is the relationship between the Orientalist and his/her subject? What function does Orientalism serve in its society, according to Said? What purpose does it serve for European colonialism? Discuss the basic elements of Orientalism as Said defines it, in the "Crisis" chapter of Orientalism.

February 3: Orientalism
1. Early on Said discusses the importance of a textual attitude when confronting the complexity of human society. He uses the analogy of reading about lions (pg. 93) to illustrate the importance of textual attitude. How does Said define textual attitude and why is it important for an understanding of Orientalism? What role does textual attitude play in the make-up of Orientalism? Why is textual attitude an important concept when looking at British representations of "Orientals"? Discuss Said's definition of textual attitude and its significance for the structure of Orientalism.

February 5: Scott, "The Two Drovers"
1. Scott describes a particular clash of distinct British ethnic cultures in the "Two Drovers": Scottish Lowland, English, and Scottish Highland. Scott particularly typifies the cultural differences of Scottish Highland culture in the figure of Robin Oig M’Combich (even his name is "distinct"). What are some of the elements that mark Highland culture as radically different from both Scottish Lowland and English culture in the story? What is unique about Highland culture? What codes of honor compel Robin to fight his friend? What is the "English" way of settling a dispute in relation to a "Highland" way? Discuss the way in which the Scottish Highlander is "different" in "The Two Drovers."

February 8: "The Two Drovers"
1. Given Robin’s violent act against his friend and his final punishment, what is Scott’s attitude about tolerance in a multicultural society? What is the ultimate fate of Highland notions of justice in a world dominated by the English rule of law? What happens when the English rule of law clashes with the Highland code of honor? What are the limits of cultural "diversity" in British society, according to Scott? Discuss the implications of the culture clash depicted in "The Two Drovers" for the future of Highland culture (and non-English society generally) in the nineteenth century.

February 10: Macaulay, "Minute on Indian Education"
1. In Macaulay's argument against British support of teaching native languages (Sanskrit and Arabic) in India, he offers some basic assumptions about native Indian languages in relationship to European languages, especially English. How does Macaulay compare the use of Indian languages to that of English? What's wrong with Indians using their own language? How does English literature differ from that of India? Why are Indian languages not suitable for the study of science? Discuss the inherent differences between Sanskrit/Arabic and English that make the continued use of Indian languages indefensible, according to Macaulay.

February 12: no class

February 15: no class

February 17: Darwin, The Descent of Man

1. Though Darwin's essential thesis in The Descent of Man is summarized on page 196 ("man is descended from some less highly organized form"), he seems also to argue that there are no true natural differences between the races of humankind. However, he also makes several references comparing the "European" race with other, "savage" races. How do the races differ in their "moral qualities" their belief in God, their forms of government in Darwin's view? Is Darwin's scientific analysis always truly objective? Can any scientist be truly objective? Discuss Darwin's ideas about differences between races and how they reflect on the social and cultural assumptions of Victorian Britain in general.

February 19: Tennyson, "Locksley Hall"
1. After being jilted by his lady love ("cousin Amy"), the speaker of the poem tries to console himself by examing both his past and his future. How does the speaker in "Locksley Hall" imagine his past and future? Where was he born and what was his family doing then? How is the speaker's past connected with his future? What sort of plans does the speaker imagine for himself? What does he mean, for example, when he says he will "take some savage woman" to "rear his dusky race"? Is he serious about this? Discuss the importance of the speaker's past and future as he tries to overcome his despair at the loss of Amy in "Locksley Hall."