Literary Tour of England (Summer 2005)

 

A two course study of major British writers enhanced by a 13-day tour (from June 30-July 12) of the sites in England that figure prominently in their writings.

 

 

Instructors:  Professors John Humma and Douglass H. Thomson, Department of Literature and Philosophy, Georgia Southern University

 

a description of the tour . . . itinerary . . . course information . . . costs and how to register

some helpful tips

 

 

 

Our Literary Tour of England differs from many study abroad courses--many of which simply place students in UK campuses and dorms--in that it involves students intimately with the spirit of place that shapes the literary works that we study.  After a close reading and discussion of the literary works for two weeks on the Georgia Southern University campus, we embark on a two-week tour of England, visiting the sites that figure prominently in the works and in the lives of their authors.  We stay in bed and breakfast hostelries and small hotels, getting to know the local countryside and customs and, often, people.  Our own rented van with a British driver makes transportation easy and comfortable and allows us to visit some out-of-the-beaten-path places. Your instructors will provide guided tours, often walks, to sites that you have encountered in your reading:  a partial list includes the homesite, church, and breathtaking moors of the Brontes’ Haworth; the lovely town of Salisbury with its great cathedral and the nearby Stonehenge; Thomas Hardy’s Dorchester, the environs of which provide so many intimate details in his novels; and Wordsworth’s beloved Lake District (Grasmere is pictured to the left above).  We end our journey with three nights in London, with its rich literary and cultural history (and, yes, opportunities for shopping!).  A major part of the course asks students to complete projects, like a photo-journal album, that record their journey of discovery and their understanding of the literature in the new light of its spirit of place.

 

Course information:  Students can enroll in the two courses during GSU’s “B Term”and earn six hours of credit under a variety of different course designations offered by Georgia Southern’s Department of Literature and Philosophy (full syllabi of these courses will be forthcoming soon):

 

·        Undergraduates will enroll in John Humma’s English 5436 (Spirit of Place in British Literature) and Doug Thomson’s English 5131 (British Romantics).

·        Graduate students will enroll in John Humma’s English 5436G (Spirit of Place in British Literature) and Doug Thomson’s English 5131G (British Romantics) OR, for those seeking seminar credit, Humma’s ENGL 6634 (Seminar in Major Authors) and Thomson’s ENGL 7633 (Seminar in Nineteenth Century British Literature).

 

Students not attending Georgia Southern University can enroll for summer courses by applying for transient admission and receive transfer credit for the two courses. 

 

Itinerary: 

 

June 20-29 Study of literature at GSU campus.  Daily four hour sessions.

 

June 30                  Depart USA for UK.

 

July 1                     Arrive UK.  Day trip to Chawton, Home of Jane Austen. Arrive at Salisbury.

 

July 1, 2                 Salisbury and Stonehenge (Salisbury Cathedral pictured at right in a painting by John Constable).  Depart for Dorcester; arrive late afternoon or early evening.

 

July 2, 3, 4             Hardy country: Dorchester

 

July 5                     Ludlow Castle

 

July 6, 7                 Bronte’s Haworth

 

July 8, 9                 Wordsworth’s Lake District (Cumbria)

 

July 10-12              London

 

July 13                   Depart and arrive home in USA

 

 

Costs and How to Register

 

The trip will cost approximately $2900, which covers airfare, lodging, breakfast (but not dinner), admission fees to all attractions and historical sites, and ground transportation (we’ll have our own private van).  To apply for the courses and trip, use this application form, which is due by March 15 with the $100 registration fee.  One half of the total cost ($1450) is also due March 15, with the remaining half due April 29.  Be sure to read carefully the Authorization and Waiver of Liability form, which contains the policy on withdrawals and refunds.

 

Tuition for this study abroad programs, which is not included in the cost of the trip (the $2900), is due when summer tuition for the B Term is due.

 

Some Helpful Tips

 

Check back here for some helpful hints as we get ready for our trip to England:

 

1.  You’ll need to get a passport but not a visa; allow some months for the passport to be processed and sent to you.

 

2.  Don’t overdo the luggage.  One suitcase and one carry-on at most.  Travel lightly.  As for souvenirs and purchases, many students find it more convenient to mail such purchases home rather than encumbering themselves with added weight.

 

3.  We do a lot of walking, so please bring comfortable shoes.  There are some locations (Bronte and Wordsworth country) where Thomson will lead hikes, pretty strenuous hikes, for those so inclined:  hiking boots with woolen stockings are recommended for these excursions.