LIT - Literature

Explores the vicarious experience of warfare and the practical and moral problems associated with command.

This course begins by exploring 15th and 16th century fairy tales as they were recorded from oral culture. Students will then study contemporary revisions as they occur in both literature and film, examining the way contemporary writers and filmmakers challenge social and/or political conventions.

A study of the techniques, history and development of selected literature and film classics. Content may vary depending on instructor.

An introduction to one of the most popular literary genres, the novel, with particular focus on the varied relations novelists establish between individual and society, audience and storyteller, to entertain, unsettle and inspire readers.

This course will investigate the roots, elements and nature of poetry in an effort to make poetry a rich source of pleasure for a lifetime. We will read poetry of all types from all ages, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary.

An introduction to the plays and poems of William Shakespeare, including a survey of the texts and an introduction to the staging and poetry of the work. The objectives of this course are to familiarize students with the work and techniques of a great poet and playwright. For English and writing majors, it is essential. For all students, a familiarity with Shakespeare is a cornerstone of a well-rounded liberal arts education.

A survey of major world authors from the ancient world through the Renaissance.

A survey of major world authors from the 18th century to the present.

A survey of major authors and literary trends up to the 18th century.

A survey of major authors and trends from the 19th century to the present. LIT 206 is not a prerequisite for LIT 207.

A survey of major authors and literary trends from colonial and revolutionary periods to the westward expansion.

A survey of major authors and literary trends from the Civil War to modern times.

A survey of contemporary African authors.

This course critically examines women's writing and may incorporate a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. The texts come from a variety of traditions, from classic texts by women writers to the avant-garde, and from a variety of historical and literary periods.

A study of selected novels by major contemporary authors.

A study of traditional or experimental fiction, non-fiction or poetry at the introductory level. May be repeated if the content varies.

A study of different subjects, themes, and periods in drama at the introductory level. May be repeated if content varies.

A study of the Romantic Movement from Blake to Keats.

A study of Victorian literature from Carlyle to Kipling.

An introduction to the major poets and schools of modern and contemporary poetry in England and the United States.

An advanced study of several of Shakespeare's finest romances and tragedies, involving a close analysis of the texts and incorporating a thorough grounding in the Renaissance mindset.

An advanced study of several of Shakespeare's finest comedies and history plays.

A selection of today's major living authors from around the world.

This course is designed to focus on a variety of colonial and post-colonial literatures in Africa, the Caribbean, Indonesia or Latin America. It is a study of the representation of personal, racial and national identity in works from the selected region, written during the period of struggle against colonialism and afterwards. May be repeated if content varies.

Studies the major authors of the neoclassical period.

Investigation of medieval views of the world and humankind through close reading of several literary masterpieces.

The poetry, prose and drama of England's most glorious literary period, the 16th and 17th centuries.

This course explores four major ethnic heritages - Native American, Hispanic, African American and Asian American - through contemporary literature and film. Discussion of the unique historical background casts light upon multicultural expression in literature and film. Other arts, such as dance, music and folklore, enrich our appreciation of each community's artistic identity.

Close reading and analysis of one or more major poets. May be repeated if content varies.

A study of Irish fiction, drama, poetry, memoir and film of the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes the influences of colonialism, politics, sectarianism, religion and notions of family and women's roles on this body of literature. Includes a study of major writers from the early part of the 20th century, such as James Joyce, and their influence on contemporary writers.

This course examines sex, gender and marriage in literature of the early American republic (1775-1815) via its rogues, flirts, virgins, crossdressers, fallen women, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives. In particular, the course will be scrutinizing seduction, didacticism, gender construction and republican mother/wifehood. We will also read, write about and evaluate current scholarship concerning these issues.

A capstone course focused on a defined area of literary study, such as a major author, literary movement or genre. Content varies depending on instructor. Especially recommended for students going on to professional or graduate school. May be repeated for credit if the content varies. 

A study of significant contemporary literary theories. Selected approaches to literary texts may include formalist, Freudian, reader response, poststructural, cultural and new historicist criticism.

Deals with different subjects each time course is offered and may be repeated for credit.