ENGL 309 American Literature
Prerequisite: Completion of any 200-level English course or permission of instructor
In this course, we will encounter a variety of American texts, including Puritan poetry, Enlightenment autobiographies, captivity and enslavement narratives, gothic stories, Transcendentalist essays, and many others. Aiming for both coverage and acute comprehension, we will investigate American literature from the Colonial period through the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Because this is a survey course, our readings and discussions will proceed steadily and quickly, though not without depth. Ultimately, our objective will be to read the canon of early American literature and to consider the ways in which it illuminates and reflects contemporary American society.
Offered
Spring Semester