2025 Fall
ENGLISH 115A 001 - LEC 001
The English Renaissance
David Marno
Aug 27, 2025 - Dec 12, 2025
Mo, We
05:00 pm - 06:29 pm
Social Sciences Building 170
Class #:26880
Units: 4
Instruction Mode:
In-Person Instruction
Offered through
English
Current Enrollment
Total Open Seats:
60
Enrolled: 0
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 60
Waitlist Max: 5
No Reserved Seats
Hours & Workload
3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, and 9 hours of outside work hours per week.
Other classes by David Marno
Course Catalog Description
Beginnings of the English Renaissance and literature of the 16th century.
Class Description
In this course, we follow how authors from Thomas More to John Donne participated in the grand project of the Renaissance, defined by the belief that consuming and producing culture would elevate human beings above their natural state. Many of our authors supported the project; some opposed it fervently. But willingly or not, everyone we read during the semester contributed to it, if only by virtue of recording their impressions, thoughts, feelings, and fancies in writing. Our aim in the course is to understand the ideals of the Renaissance as well as its pitfalls and criticisms by looking at the works of Francesco Petrarca, Thomas Wyatt, Catherine Parr, Anne Locke, Mary Sidney, Edmund Spenser, William Shakespeare, and John Donne, among others. Assignments include weekly bCourses posts, two essays, and a final exam.
Class Notes
This class satisfies the Pre-1800 major requirement:
https://english.berkeley.edu/major-requirements
Book List:
A modern annotated edition (Longman or Penguin) of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene is strongly recommended; all other texts will be made available.. show more
https://english.berkeley.edu/major-requirements
Book List:
A modern annotated edition (Longman or Penguin) of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene is strongly recommended; all other texts will be made available.. show more
This class satisfies the Pre-1800 major requirement:
https://english.berkeley.edu/major-requirements
Book List:
A modern annotated edition (Longman or Penguin) of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene is strongly recommended; all other texts will be made available on bCourses. show less
https://english.berkeley.edu/major-requirements
Book List:
A modern annotated edition (Longman or Penguin) of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene is strongly recommended; all other texts will be made available on bCourses. show less
Rules & Requirements
Repeat Rules
Course is not repeatable for credit.
Requirements class fulfills
Meets Arts & Literature, L&S Breadth
Reserved Seats
Current Enrollment
No Reserved Seats
Textbooks & Materials
See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.
Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials
Associated Sections
None