Course details

Name: ENGL - 228

Title: AMERICAN LIT I BEGINNING TO 1890

Section: 01

Semester: Fall - 2017

Credits: 3

Description:
ENGL 228: Declarations of Dependence: Anglo-American Literature to 1890

This class argues for the existence of ongoing conditions of mutual reliance in America, states of dependence that must often be denied for the sake of the strong sense of individual personhood that founds this nation’s inaugural statements. To declare independence, in other words, is to acknowledge, quietly and quickly, a prior condition of shared dependence. Many individuals during the colonial and early Republican periods of Anglo-American history were troubled by such risky existence. The works of literature they wrote show how keenly these settlers and their neighbors struggled to understand that condition, and how they struggled to secure a community of witnesses to these statements. This seminar-style course surveys some of the major texts of the first two and a half centuries of Anglo-American settlement; we will prioritize prose narrative for its ability to identify and neatly settle the causes of emotional disturbance into a story. Successful mastery of course content will be measured by several short reflections, three exams, and a final paper.

Instructor Bio:
Ana Schwartz is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania; before that she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Berkeley. Her dissertation describes how colonial settlers in the seventeenth century tried to make sense of different, perhaps new emotions, as well as different ways of experiencing and talking about emotions. In addition to composing new interpretations of early modern and colonial texts, she writes about contemporary Latin American literature, and movies about outer space. Her favorite book might be Moby-Dick.

Last updated on 2017-03-29 By Nielsen Wendy (nielsenw)

Schedule: Wednesday From 5:30 pm To 8:00 pm

Graduation requirements:

  • ()
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  • Any Literature (1e)
  • Genre Study (Poetry)
  • ()
  • Pre-1900 American (TE 1c)
  • Other American (TE 1d)
  • Pre-1700 (1a)
  • Pre-1800 (1b)
  • Pre-1900 (1c)
  • Ethnic Studies (3b)

Teaching Faculty: Schwartz Ana (schwartzan)

Is course canceled: No