Department of English
Undergrad Course
Descriptions
Fall 2017
Eng103:01
AppreciationofLiterature
J.Cantrell
TTH1:00-2:15pm
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Asitstitlesuggests,ENGL103introducesstudentstoliterature,witha
focusontheenjoymentfoundinreadingandinterpretingtexts.Students
willconsiderbothcanonicalandobscuremulti-genreliterary
productions—novels,plays,poetry,andshortfiction—withattentiontothe
oftensurprisinghistoricalandculturalcontextsfromwhencethey
emerged,andwithanemphasisondevelopingtheanalyticalskillsfor
readingthismaterialdeeplyandforconsideringhowthesetextscontinue
toresonatetoday.You’lldevelopacriticalvocabularyforthinkingand
writingaboutliterature,andwe’llspendalotoftimehoningyourclose
readingskills.Thiscourseaimstoprepareyouformoreadvancedcourses
intheDepartmentofEnglish.Whileanintroductoryliteratureappreciation
coursecannothopetobecomprehensiveinnature,wewillexaminethe
followingselectedworks:AliceWalker’sTheColorPurple,Truman
Capote’sOtherVoices,OtherRooms;J.M.Coetzee’sDisgrace;James
Baldwin’sGiovanni’sRoom;andshortfiction,plays,andpoetrybyauthors
includingNayyirahWaheed,TennesseeWilliams,SandraCisneros,
AdrienneRich,ElizabethBishop,MargaretAtwood,DorothyAllison,
JhumpaLahiri,JunotDiaz,ZadieSmith,andFlanneryO’Connor.
Eng103:02
AppreciationofLiterature
K.Lechler
MWF1:00-1:50
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
What’stheconnectionbetweenimaginationandliterature?Whydowe
enjoycreatingandtellingstories?Pairingclassiccanonicalworkswith
worksof“imaginative”literaturelikescience-fictionandfantasy,wewill
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explorethepowerandfunctionofthehumanimagination.Thisclasswill
focusontheenjoymentofreadingandinterpretingliterature,withthegoal
ofmakingastrongcasefortheroleofliteratureineducation.
Eng221
SurveyofWorldLiteratureto1650
Eng222
SurveyofWorldLiteraturesince1650
Eng223
SurveyofAmericanLiteraturetoCivilWar
Eng224
SurveyofAmericanLiteraturesinceCivilWar
Eng225
SurveyofBritishLiteratureto18thCentury
Eng226
SurveyofBritishLiteraturesince18thCentury
Eng299:02
IntroductiontoLiteraryStudy
H.Rigby
TTH9:30-10:45
[email protected]
English299isdesignedtopreparestudentsforupper-divisioncoursework
inEnglish.Usingthreemajorliterarygenres—fiction,poetry,anddrama--
studentswillbuildtheircriticalvocabulariesandpracticeclosereading
andtextualanalysis.Wewillalsoexaminetheaimsandconventionsofthe
literarycriticalessay.Thethreeassociatedpaperassignmentswilldevelop
thewritingandresearchskillsrequiredofliterarystudies.Ourgoalisto
betterunderstandthenatureandfunctionofliteratureaswellasthetypes
ofquestionsthatliterarycriticismseekstoanswer.Alongtheway,wewill
becomemorecreativeandcriticalthinkers,moreeffectivewriters,and
moreresourcefulscholars.
Eng299:03
IntroductiontoLiteraryStudy
K.Lechler
MWF10:00-10:50
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
English299isdesignedtopreparestudentsforupper-divisioncoursework
inEnglish.Usingthreemajorliterarygenres—fiction,poetry,anddrama--
studentswillbuildtheircriticalvocabulariesandpracticeclosereading
andtextualanalysis.Wewillalsoexaminetheaimsandconventionsofthe
literarycriticalessay.Thetwoassociatedpaperassignmentswilldevelop
thewritingandresearchskillsrequiredofliterarystudies.Ourgoalisto
betterunderstandthenatureandfunctionofliteratureaswellasthetype
ofquestionsthatliterarycriticismseekstoanswer.Alongtheway,wewill
becomemorecreativeandcriticalthinkers,moreeffectivewriters,and
moreresourcefulscholars. 1
Eng300:01
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
S.Huddleston MWF9:00-9:50
Ext:N/A
[email protected]
Thiscoursewillintroducestudentstocreativewritingthroughthereading
andwritingofpoetry,fiction,andcreativenonfiction.Theclasswillinclude
assignedreadingandwriting,regularin-classwritingexercises,student
presentationsoncrafttermsandtools,peerworkshops,andclass-led
discussions;class-participationismandatory.Studentswillreadawide
rangeoftextsfrompoetry,fiction,andcreativenonfiction,andwillbe
askedtoproduceoriginalworksoftheirownforeach.Thesemesterwill
culminateinonerevisedmanuscriptfromanyofthethreegenreswestudy.
Eng300:02
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
J.Randall
MWF10:00-10:50
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Withinthiscoursewewillendeavortoimproveourselvesasboth
individualandcollectivecreativewriters.Thiscoursewilltakeasits
subjectnotonlywritingcreativelyinthegenresofPoetry,Fictionand
Nonfictionbutalsotolocateourselvesaswriterswithinthepreceding
traditionsofwritingandwherewemightgowithourworkmoving
forwardtoreflectouruniqueandpoliticaltimes.Anotherfocusofthe
coursewillbetoexpandandexaminespecificallycreativewritingabout
“Disaster”andhowwecaninterrogatewhatconstitutes“Disaster”in
creativewriting.UsingwritingsfromNatashaTrethewey,JunotDiaz,
PatriciaSmith,KieseLaymonandotherswewillaimtocreatecumulative
finalmanuscriptssurroundingtheinterrogationofaDisasteracross
multiplegenres.
Eng300:03
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
B.Spencer
MWF2:00-2:50
Ext.N/[email protected]
What’sthecenterofapoem?Whatdowemeanbylisteningforthe“thrum”
ofaworkinrevision?WhydoesStephenKingbelieveweshouldblowup
ourTVs?Inthisintroductorycourse,wewillexplorethesequestions
throughthegenresofpoetry,fictionandcreativenonfiction.We’llalso
learnthebasicsofcraftandtechniqueineachgenre,gainanunderstanding
ofthreeworkshopmodelsforpeerfeedbackandreadfromsuchauthorsas
FrankSanford,JudithOrtizCofer,JoyHarjo,SherylSt.Germain,David
Sedaris,MaxineHongKingston,LeeGutkin,ToniMorrison,Raymond
CarverandJhumpaLahiri.
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Eng300:04
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
S.Sgro TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Eng300:05
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
A.Dally
MWF11:00-11:50
Ext.N/A
[email protected] Eng300:07
IntroductiontoCreativeWriting
B.Spencer
MWF12:00-12:50
Ext.N/[email protected]
What’sthecenterofapoem?Whatdowemeanbylisteningforthe“thrum”
ofaworkinrevision?WhydoesStephenKingbelieveweshouldblowup
ourTVs?Inthisintroductorycourse,wewillexplorethesequestions
throughthegenresofpoetry,fictionandcreativenonfiction.We’llalso
learnthebasicsofcraftandtechniqueineachgenre,gainanunderstanding
ofthreeworkshopmodelsforpeerfeedbackandreadfromsuchauthorsas
FrankSanford,JudithOrtizCofer,JoyHarjo,SherylSt.Germain,David
Sedaris,MaxineHongKingston,LeeGutkin,ToniMorrison,Raymond
CarverandJhumpaLahiri.
Eng301:01
PoetryWorkshop
A.Nezhukumatathil
TTH1:00-2:15
Ext.6510
[email protected]
ENG301isthecontinuedstudyofforms,techniques,genres,andtheories
ofpoetry.Thisisastudio/workshopclasswithintensivewritingdoneboth
inandoutoftheclassroom.Classeswillbeconductedwithacraft
exercise/lectureforthefirsthalfoftheperiod,followedbyaworkshop
format.Thiscourseisforthosewhoarealreadycomfortablewiththe
workshopmodel,theconceptofrevision,andwhoarereadyforhonest,
constructivefeedback.Morein-depthreadingandintensivewritingof
poetryisexpectedinordertofurthersharpenyoureditorialandrevision
skills.Theaimistosupportyouasawriter—bothyourprocessandyour
needtogrowanddevelopthroughreading,writing,andthestudyof
contemporarypoetry.
Eng301:02-03 PoetryWorkshop
B.Hobbs
MWF3:00-3:50;4:00-4:50
Ext:N/A
[email protected]
InEnglish301,ourintroductiontopoetryclass,wewillreadandwrite
poems.Wewillbeginwithunderstandingthevocabularyofprosodyso
thatwemayproperlydiscussit.Fromthere,wewillreadselectionsof
publishedworksandwritepoemsmodeled(strictlyandnot-so-strictly)on
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thoseworks.Forthemostpart,theclassisaworkshop,sobepreparedto
shareyourworkfordiscussion.Therewillbeaquizatthebeginningofthe
course,amidtermpacketofpoetry,andafinalpresentationofyourwork
forthebulkofthegrade.
Eng302:01,06 FictionWorkshop
D.Parsons
MWF12:00-12:50;9:00-9:50
Ext:N/A [email protected]
Thiscoursefocusesonthecraftandartoffictionwriting,involvingthe
intensestudyofpublishedcontemporaryfiction.Studentswillbeaskedto
readagreatdeal,composeandsharetheirownstorieswiththeclassina
workshopformat,andengageinawritingprocessthatinvolvesrevision
andreflection.Otherprojectsinvolvewritingabookreviewand
assemblingaportfoliomadeupofrevisedwork.
Eng303:01
CreativeNonfictionWorkshop
B.Fennelly
TTH11:00-12:15
Ext:N/A [email protected]
Inthisclass,we’lldiscussandpracticetheartoftheessay.We’llseekto
becomeacquaintedwithsomeofthecontemporarymastersofthe
genre.Throughreadingsandassignments,we’llexploretherangeofthe
genre,includingmemoir,personalessays,andflashnonfiction.During
workshop,we’lldevelopcriticalskillsthroughtheclosereadingofthe
workbyothersandhaveourownworkcriticized.Thisisawritingintensivecoursedesignedforstudentswhohaveapassionforwriting;
we’llworktotakethatpassiontothenextlevel.Pre-req:ENG300:Introto
CWorinstructorpermission.
Eng306:01
HistoryoftheEnglishLanguage
M.Hayes
MW3:00-4:15
Ext:7049
[email protected]
ThiscoursetellsaspecificstoryofEnglish:thediachronicdevelopmentof
itsliteratetraditionasexemplifiedinimportanttextsselectedfromvarious
genreandmedia.Althoughmanyofthesetextswillbefamiliartoyou,we
willapproachtheminformedbytraditionalphilologyandthusattendto
detailsnotnormallyaddressedinEnglishliteraturecourses:morphology,
grammar,syntax,andetymology.WrittenEnglishes,however,oftenimply
thelanguage’sspokenforms,suchasintheorthographyofsemi-literate
writersanddialectwritings.Additionally,despitethecourse’sfocuson
English’sliteratetradition,itwillaccountformajorphonologicalevents
suchastheGreatVowelShift.Inarelatedyetdifferentvein,wewill
considerthephenomenologicalrelationshipbetweenwrittenandspoken
Englishesin,forexample,thescenesofreadingimpliedinvarioustexts.No
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priorknowledgeoflinguisticsisrequired.Studentswillacquirebasic
literacyintheIPA.
Eng307:01
IntroductiontoLiteraryCriticismandTheory
A.Trefzer
TTH1:00-2:15
Ext:7675
[email protected]
Thiscourseexaminesmajordevelopmentsinliterarytheory.Beginning
withPlatoandAristotle,studentswillreadsomeoftheclassicarguments
aboutliteraturebyGermanphilosopherslikeKant,Hegel,andNietzsche;
EnglishromanticslikeShelleyandWordsworth,andmajortheoristsof
psychologicalandeconomicideaslikeFreudandMarx.Wewillexplore
questionspertainingtotheoriesofliteratureincludingwidelydifferent
conceptsofauthors,texts,readers,andtheactivityofliterary
interpretationmoregenerally.Thesecondhalfofthesemesterisdevoted
tocontemporarytheoreticaltrendsincludinggenderandracetheory,
deconstructionandpostcolonialism,aswellasecocriticismanddisability
studies.Althoughthiscourseroughlyfollowsachronologicaloutline,we
willhighlightrelatedthemesandculturalissuestocross-examineclassic
andmodernviewsofliterature.Studentswillwriteresponsepapers,a
mid-term,andafinalexam.
Eng309:01-02 StudiesinGenre:Drama
P.Wirth
TTH8:00-9:15;11:00-12:15
Ext.5035
[email protected]
Wewillreadallormostofthefollowingplays:Sophocles,Oedipusthe
King;Moliere,Tartuffe;OliverGoldsmith,SheStoopsToConquer;Johann
WolfgangvonGoethe,Faust,PartOneandexcerptsfromPartTwo;Georg
Buchner,Woyzeck;HenrikIbsen,PeerGynt;AugustStrindberg,MissJulie;
OscarWilde,TheImportanceofBeingEarnest;AntonChekhov,TheCherry
Orchard;GeorgeBernardShaw,HeartbreakHouse;BertoltBrecht,Mother
Courage;EugeneO’Neill,TheIcemanCometh.Wewillalsoreadselections
onthetheoryofdramabyAristotleandFriedrichNietzsche,and
Strindberg’sprefacetoMissJulie.
Themainemphasiswillbeonindividualplays,butwewillalso
paysomeattentiontothehistoryofdramaandtothegenresoftragedy,
comedy,melodrama,andfarce.
Thegradewillbebasedonthemidtermandfinalexaminations,a
criticalpaper,classparticipation,andquizzesonthereading.
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Eng314:01
“TheCinematicSouth:CivilWarandReconstruction”
K.McKee
W3:00-6:00pm
Ext.5993
[email protected]
ThisclassbeginswiththeideathatunderstandingtheU.S.Southis
fundamentaltounderstandingthenationasawhole.Wewillconcentrate
onrepresentationsoftwosignaleventsinthelifeofbothregionand
nation—theCivilWarandReconstruction—asfilmmakershaveportrayed
themandtheirconsequencesforbothblackandwhiteAmericans,
beginningwithTheBirthofaNation(1915)andconcludingwithTheBirth
ofaNation(2016).Alongtheway,wewillwatchDisneyproductions,
westerns,noveladaptations,biopics,documentaries,andmockumentaries.
ThusstudentswillhavetheopportunitytocompareportrayalsoftheCivil
WarandReconstructionfromdifferentmomentsinfilmhistory,including
veryrecentdepictionsofslaveryanditsaftermath.Courserequirements
includeaviewingjournal,agroupproject,apaper,andafinalexamination.
Eng317:01
Chaucer
P.Wirth
MWF10:00-10:50
Ext:5035
[email protected]
Wewillbeginwithafewlyricpoems,including“ToRosemounde”,“The
FormerAge”,and“Truth”.Thenwewillreadthefollowingmajorworks:
TheBookoftheDuchess;TheHouseofFame;selectionsfromThe
CanterburyTales,includingtheGeneralPorologueandmostofthe
prologues,tales,andepiloguesassociatedwiththeKnight,theMiller,the
Reeve,theCook,theWifeofBath,theClerk,theMerchant,theFranklin,the
Pardoner,thePrioress,andtheNun’sPriest.
AllworkswillbereadintheoriginalMiddleEnglish.Wewillfocus
onthesoundsandrhythmsofChaucer’sverseaswellasitsmeanings.
Thegradewillbebasedonthemidtermandfinalexaminations,a
criticalpaper,classparticipation,andquizzesonthereading.
Eng322:01
StudiesinMedievalLiterature
TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.N/A
Eng324:01
Shakespeare
I.Kamps
TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
WewillstudyintenselysomeofShakespeare'sbest-knownplays,andwe
willpaycloseattentiontothembothasaestheticdocumentsandas
culturalartifactsthataffordusaglimpseintoearlymodernsocietyand
culture.WewillthereforelearnaboutShakespeare’shistoricalmoment
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whileatthesametimeworktoachievebothageneralandadetailed
knowledgeofShakespeare’splaytexts.
Playsunderconsiderationforthefallare:TheComedyofErrors,
RichardIII,AMidsummerNight’sDream,RomeoandJuliet,MuchAdoAbout
Nothing,TheMerchantofVenice,1HenryIV,HenryV,TitusAndronicus,
TwelfthNight,Othello,MeasureforMeasure,Hamlet,Macbeth,andKing
Lear.Requirements:attendance,participation,regularquizzes,apaper,3
exams(includingacomprehensivefinalexam).
Eng326:01
RenaissanceandEarlyModernStudies:The
Renaissance:WhatisLove?
A.Friedlander TTH9:30-10:45
Ext:7674
[email protected]
Thegoalofthisclassistointroducestudentstothehistoricalandcultural
phenomenoncalledtheRenaissancebystudyingarangeofEuropean
literaturefrom14th-centuryItalyto17th-centuryEngland.Asaroadinto
thisvasttopic,wewillfocusourreadingsanddiscussionsonthe
Renaissancetreatmentoflove.Lovewasaconstantpreoccupationfor
Renaissancepoets,philosophers,theologians,andevenpoliticians.Not
onlyisitthereforeaworthytopicofstudy,butitisalsoavaluablelens
throughwhichmanydifferentfacetsofRenaissanceculturearerefracted.
Aswewillsee,fromItalytoFrancetoGermanytoEngland,lovemarks
conversationsoverdiversetopicsincludingnotjustgenderandsexuality,
butalsohistory,nationhood,beauty,morality,politics,service,andeven
truthitself.Wewillreadworksoflyricpoetry,prosenarratives,essays,and
drama,includingPetrarch’sRime,Montaigne’sEssais,andShakespeare’s
poetryandprose.Writtenworkwillincludepopquizzes,longeressays,
andamidtermandfinal.
Eng337:01
StudiesinRomanticism:Romanticismandthe
PoliticsofModernity
D.Stout
TTH11:00-12:15
Ext:2538
[email protected]
ThiscourseoffersanintroductiontotheliteratureoftheRomantic
period—atumultuousperiodofpoliticalandartisticrevolutionthatran
from1789-1840.Ourdiscussionswillfocusonparallelsbetweenthe
Romanticperiodandourown.Manyoftheideasthatdefineourcurrent
moment—individualism,conservatism,radicalism,libertarianism,
globalism,protectionism,liberalism,environmentalism,industrialism—
firstemergedintheRomanticperiodandwerereflectedinliteratureby
Wordsworth,Coleridge,Keats,MaryandPercyShelley,andothers.Written
workwillallowstudentsfreedomtoexploreconnectionsbetweenthe
Romanticperiodandthepresent.
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Eng338:01
StudiesinVictorianLiterature:Writing
Empire
TTH4:00-5:15
[email protected]
M.Bhagat-Kennedy
Ext:6947
HowdidGreatBritainconquerlargeswathesoftheglobeduringthe
eighteenthandnineteenthcenturies?ThiscourseexamineshowtheBritish
Empiredeployedinfluentialphilosophies,notjustmilitaryforce,tosupport
colonialismbothonthegroundandbackinBritainduringthelong
nineteenthcentury(c.1780-1914).AswereadaboutBritonswho
encounteredempireinavarietyofrolesincludingcolonialofficials,
missionaries,adventurers,governesses,andmerchants,wewilladdress
thefollowingquestions:Whatwerethevariousmotivationsand
apprehensionsassociatedwithimperialism?Howdidliteratureexpress,
bolster,orcritiquethegeopoliticsofempire?HowdidtheBritishreconcile
newunderstandingsofliberalismwiththeoppressivenatureofconquest?
Inwhatwaysdidtheseideaschangeovertimeandwhatlessonscanwe
learnforthepresent?WewillpayparticularattentiontotheBritishRajin
Indiaaswetacklethesequestionswhilealsoconsideringthecolonial
experienceintheWestIndies,Africa,Australia,Thailand,andIreland.
Eng357:01-02 WomenintheSouth
J.W.Hall
TTH9:30-10:45;TTH11:00-12:15
Ext:7286
[email protected]
Cross-listedasaGenderStudiescourse,ENG357focusesonliterary
representationsofsouthernwomanhood,fromtheantebellumeratothe
21stcentury.IssuesincludetheCultofDomesticity,theplightofenslaved
women,challengesfacedbywomenwritersandotherwomen
workers,forcesoftraditionversusforcesofchange,andotheraspectsof
women'slivesintheSouth.SouthernWomen'sWriting:Colonialto
Contemporary(ed.MaryLouiseWeaksandCarolynPerry)andNatasha
Trethewey'sBellocq'sOphelia:Poemswillbesupplementedbyafewbooks
byKateChopin,ZoraNealeHurston,EudoraWelty,FlanneryO'Connor,
CarsonMcCullers,andtheirpeers.Gradedworkincludesreadingquizzes,a
2-pagereport,a5-pageessay,andmidtermandfinalessayexams.
Eng361:01
AfricanAmericanLiteratureSurveyto1920
E.Young-Scurlock
TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.7688
[email protected]
Courseiscross-listedwithAAS341
StudentsinEnglish361willbeintroducedtofoundationaltextsofthe
AfricanAmericanliterarycanon.TextswrittenbyBlackAmericansin
thenineteenthcenturyandearlytwentiethcenturywillbeexaminedfor
literarymeritandculturalimport.Classroomlecturesanddiscussionswill
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helpstudentsbetterunderstandhowtheseearlytextscanteach
contemporaryreadersaboutsocial,political,andartisticdevelopmentsin
AfricanAmericanculture.Studentsexaminenarrativeswrittenby:
enslavedBlackAmericans,antebellumblackswhodidnotexperience
physicalenslavement,ReconstructionEraleaders,andearlytwentieth
century.Representativeauthorsforthecourseinclude:Frederick
Douglass,NancePrince,HarriettJacobs,FrancesE.W.Harper,BookerT.
Washington,W.E.B.Dubois,andIdaB.Wells.Studentswilldisplaytheir
masteryofthecourseobjectiveson3readingexamsandthroughtheir
workon2analyticalpapers.
Eng363:01
AfricanAmericanGenres:CivilRightsandActivism
inLiterature
R.Eubanks
TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.N/A
Courseiscross-listedwithAAS363
Inhisessay“ManyThousandsGone,JamesBaldwinwrote“TheAmerican
imageoftheNegrolivesalsointheNegro’sheart;andwhenhehas
surrenderedtothisimagelifehasnootherpossiblereality.”Thiscourse
willexamineworksofliteraturethatturntheirfocusontheimage,life,and
realityofblacklifeduringthecivil-rightsmovementaswellasintoday’s
secondwaveofactivism.C.VannWoodward’sTheStrangeCareerofJim
Crowwillbeafoundationaltextandwillserveasapointofreferencefor
thestudyoffictionandnonfictionbyadiversegroupofwriters,including
JamesBaldwin,RichardWright,RalphEllison,andClaudiaRankine.
Eng386:01
GenderonFilm:AustenandAdaptation:Interpreting
JaneAusten
E.Drew
TTH11:00-12:15
Ext.2783
[email protected]
JaneAustenisoneofthemostwidelyadaptedauthorsintheEnglish
language.Overthe200orsoyearssinceshepublishedherfirstnovel,
scoresofplays,movies,spinoffs,sequels,parodiesandhomageshave
appearedinculturesfromHollywoodtoBollywood.What'slesswellknownisthatAusten'sownworksthemselvesparody,adaptandalludeto
playsandnovelsfromherowntime,makinghernovelsthemselvesapart
ofthesameprocessofculturalrecyclingthatproducedmovieslikeBride
andPrejudiceornovelslikePrideandPrejudiceandZombies.Inthiscourse,
wewillstudyAusten'snovels,theliteraturethatinspiredherfiction,and
severalofhermodern-dayfilmadaptations.Thepurposeistoexamine
eachoftheseworksasanactofinterpretation—interpretationbyAusten
ofearliernovels,andinterpretationofAusten'snovelsbylaterplaywrights,
filmmakersandwriters.Ourgoalwillbetouncovertheunderlying
assumptions,valuesandculturalideasthateachoftheseinterpretations
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revealsthroughwhatitscreatorschoosetotakefromtheirpredecessors
andwhattheychoosetoleaveout.BystudyingAusten'snovelsin
comparisontotheadaptationstheyhavespawned,wewillarriveata
clearerunderstandingoftheoriginalnovelsthemselves,andoftheir
significancetoourcontemporaryculture.
Eng389:01
AmericanEnvironmentalLiterature
A.Nezhukumatathil
TTH9:30-10:45
Ext.6510
[email protected]
Wewillinvestigatewhatisenvironmentalliteraturebyexaminingmajor
trendsthathaveshapedhowwritershaveunderstoodtheirenvironments
historically,andwewillconsiderhowthosetrendscontinuetoinfluence
ourfeelingstowards,andunderstandingsofthisplanet.Byusingliterary
analysisandinvestigatingliteraryhistorywewillusethecoursetextsto
distinguishasetofsharedtropesandsharedconcernsthatcharacterize
environmentalliterature.Wewillidentifystrategiesthroughwhichpoets,
fictionwriters,andessayistshaveaddressedenvironmentalquestions
throughtheformandcontentoftheirworks.Finallythroughtheclose
reading,criticalthinking,andanalyticalwritingrequiredinthiscourse,we
willinvestigatetheextenttowhichliteraryandculturalformsshapethe
waysthatpeopleengagetheirbeliefsabouttherightandwrongusesof,
andattitudestoward,thenaturalworld.FromJohnMuir’sridingouta
mountainstorminthebranchesofaloftyDouglassprucetoCamille
Dungy’sexplorationofAfricanAmericannaturepoetry,wewillfocusona
surveyofAmericannaturewritingandactualfirst-handexplorationsof
naturethroughvariousshortfieldexperiences.Note:allstudentswillbe
requiredtomaintaincare/observationsofasmallhouseplantorfish
duringthesemester.
Eng400:01
AdvancedPoetryWorkshop
M.Ginsburg
TTH1:00-2:15
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Inthiscoursestudentswillwritepoemsandreadpoetryandpoetry
criticism.Wewillapproachthereadingsaswritersdo,assourcesof
inspirationandwithaneyetowardcraft—thatis,understandinghowthe
thingwasmade.Theclasswillfollowtheworkshopmodel,inwhichwewill
shareourwritingwiththerestoftheclassandofferconstructivefeedback.
Studentswillwriteaminimumofonepoemaweek,numerousinformal
writtenresponsestoassignedreadings,andashortchapbookmanuscript
asafinalproject.Eachstudentwillberesponsibleforcontributingtoclass
discussionsandworkshops.
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Eng405:01
NatureWriting
A.Fisher-WirthTTH1:00-2:15
Ext:N/A
[email protected]
Thisisahybridcourse,partliteratureseminarandpartcreativewriting
workshop.Itsfocusisenvironmentallifewriting,orcreativenonfiction
thatexploresone’sinterrelationswiththenatural—orbuilt—environment.
ItmaybetakenforeitherEnglishorEnvironmentalStudiescredit,anditis
suitableforallstudents.Studentswillwrite,andworkshop,atotalofat
least15pagesofnonfictionprose,andwillcreateafinalportfolio.Books
(orexcerptsofbooks)readwillprobablyincludeRickBass,Winter;
MichaelBranch,RaisingWild;LindaHogan,TheWomanWhoWatchesOver
theWorld;DrewLanham,HomePlace:MemoirsofaColoredMan’sLove
AffairwithNature;PeterMatthiessen,TheSnowLeopard;Cheryl
Strayed,Wild.
Eng423:01
SpecialTopicsinMedievalLiterature:NorseSagasin
Translation
L.Brady
MW3:00-4:15
Ext:N/A
[email protected]
WhatdidtheVikingsread?Andhowdidtheywriteabouttheiradventures?
Theanswer:Norsesagas,thefirstEuropeannovels.Longadmiredfortheir
starkrealism,spareyetpowerfulprose,intergenerationalcyclesoffeuding
andvengeance,andemergencefromtheexceptionallyliteratemedieval
societyofearlyIceland,thesagasareableakyetarrestingblendofhistory
andlegend,encapsulatedinasingularnarrativeform.Thiscourseprovides
anintroductorywindowintothisvividandpowerfulliterarytraditionand
intotheheroicworldoftheVikings.Wewillread,inmodernEnglish
translation,someofthebestrepresentativeexamplesofmedievalNorse
sagatradition.OurclasswillfocuslargelyontheSagasofIcelanders,a
groupofrealistic,dramatic,andtragicnarrativessetroughlyduringthe
timeofIceland’sfirstfewgenerationsofsettlersinthetenthcentury,
beforetheintroductionofChristianity.Wewilltacklequestionsofrealism
andfictionality;historyandlegend;literacyandorality;fateandfreewill;
feuding,vengeance,andviolence;andoutlawryandperiphery.
Eng428:01
SpecialTopicsinEarlyModernLiterature:Sexand
Crime
A.Friedlander TTH1:00-2:15
Ext:7674 [email protected]
Criminals,conartists,vagrants,andprostituteswereobjectsofintense
fascinationintheRenaissance–muchliketheyaretoday.Unliketoday,
however,thesesocialoutcastswereconsistentlyrepresentedassexual
deviants.Inthiscourse,wewillexploretherelationshipbetweengender,
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sex,crime,andsocialdisorderinthewritingsofWilliamShakespeare,Ben
Jonson,ThomasMiddleton,ThomasHeywood,andRichardBrome.In
additiontoliteraryworks,wewillreaddepictionsofsocialandsexual
deviantsinearlymodernpopularprose,consideringhowsuchfigureswere
simultaneouslydepictedasdreadfulmonstersandseductiverogues.Over
thesemesterwewillexaminetheremarkableflexibilityofroguesexuality
asanideologicalcategory,includingitsinfluenceonthewayearlymodern
Englandimaginedthecountryandthecity,thecourtandthenation,
masculinityandfemininity,andpromiscuityandmarriage.
Eng431:01
SpecialTopicsin18thCenturyLiterature:Natureand
LiteratureintheEighteenthCentury
E.Drew
TTH2:30-3:45
Ext:2783
[email protected]
Theeighteenthcenturywitnessedanastonishingtransformationinthe
naturalworldandthewayEnglishculturerelatedtoit.Fromthespreadof
colonialtiestotheCaribbeanandAsiatotheriseofmodernsciencetothe
earlystirringsofanimalrights,Englishcultureexperiencedaninfluxof
newmaterials,ideas,andideologiesthatchallengedandtransformedolder
viewsoftherelationshipbetweenhumansandnature--andpavedtheway
forenvironmentalchallengeswestillfacetoday.Inthiscoursewewill
studythedepictionofnatureineighteenth-centuryliteratureinorderto
understandbettertheconnectionsbetweentheeighteenth-centuryideasof
“nature”andtwenty-firstcenturyenvironmentalchallenges.Inlightofour
rapidly-developingclimatecrisis,itisespeciallyimportanttoattendtothe
environmentallegacyofeighteenth-centurydevelopmentslikethe
IndustrialRevolution,colonialismandexperimentalscience.Bystudying
eighteenth-centurynaturewriting,studentsinthiscoursewillgaina
deeperunderstandingoftheoriginsandimplicationsofenvironmentalism
andclimatechange.
Eng434:01
SpecialTopicsinEarlyAmericanLiterature:Race,
Revolution,andEarlyAmericanLiterature
(Capstone)
P.Reed
TTH1:00-2:15
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Thisclasswillexploretheliteratureofslavery,rebellion,andrevolutionin
arangeoftextsfromcolonialandearlyAmerica.Wewillread,discuss,and
writeaboutmajorepisodesofrebellionagainstslavery,suchasthe1741
NewYorkslaverevoltconspiracy,theHaitianRevolution,andNatTurner’s
rebellion;andwewillalsoreadaccountsofmyriadsmallactsofslave
resistanceandrebellioninfictionsleadinguptotheUSCivilWar.These
textswillhelpustrackthewaysthatearlyAmericanswereinventingthe
ideasandpracticesofracialdifferenceandslavery,whileatthesametime
Updated 3/20/2017
confrontingandimaginingtheconstantupwellingofresistanceto
slavery.Thisisacapstoneclass,sowewillworktogetheronamajor
researchpaperthatexploresathemeofyourchoosing.
Eng439:01
SpecialTopicsinVictorianLiterature:
ArguingwiththeVictorians:Persuasion,Victorian
Prose,andtheIntellectualPublicSphere(Capstone)
D.Novak
TTH2:30-3:45
Ext:7456
[email protected]
Genderequality,racialjustice,incomeinequality,religion,orthecrisisin
thehumanities.Thesecouldbetoday’stopstoriesinyourNewsfeed.But
thediscussionabouttheseissuesbeganbackintheVictorianperiod,andin
manywayswearestillarguingaboutthesequestionsontheveryterms
andvaluessetbyVictorianwriters.Inessaysandpublishedlectures,
Victorianwritersdebatedthepositionofwomeninthepublicsphere(“the
WomanQuestion”),economicinequalityandalienatedlabor(“The
ConditionofEnglandQuestion”),Englishtreatmentofcolonizedsubjects,
evolution,religiousskepticism,andthefunctionofliterature.Justasthe
internetrevolutionizedhowweaccessinformationandengagewithissues
andeachother,theVictorianperiodsawanexplosionofprintcultureand
literacy,withhundredsofdifferentperiodicalsappearingaimedatawide
rangeofclasses,disciplines,andeducationlevels.Throughthesewidely
distributedandaccessibletexts,Victorianwritersdisseminatedtheir
argumentsonsomeofthemostimportantissuesofthetime.Wewillread
essaysbyfigureslikeGeorgeEliot,JohnRuskin,HarrietMartineau,Thomas
Carlyle,FlorenceNightingale,WilliamMorris,SarahGrand,OscarWilde,
andmanyothers.Whilemostlyfocusingonproseessays,wewill
supplementourreadingwithcontemporarycriticismandtheory,aswellas
Victorianpoetryandshortfiction.
Eng442:01
AntebellumAmericanLiterature:TheAmerican
Renaissance
M.Bondurant TTH1:00-2:15
Ext:[email protected]
ThiscoursewillexaminetheblossomingofAmericanarts&lettersthat
occurredintheearlytomid19thcenturyusingaselectionofprimarytexts
andcontextualreadings,includinghistoricalandculturalexplorations.We
willreadanddiscussauthorssuchasEmerson,Thoreau,Dickinson,
andHawthorne,withthecenterpieceofthecoursebeingHerman
Melville'sMobyDick.Thisisyourchancetoreadanddiscussthegreatest
noveleverwrittenbyanAmericaninapatientandcollaborative
setting.Takeit.
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Eng468:01
MajorAfrican-AmericanWriters:
Malcolm/Martin/Barack
P.Alexander
TTH2:30to3:45
Ext:[email protected]
Courseiscross-listedwithAAS420
MalcolmXandMartinLutherKing,Jr.Theyaretwoofthemosticonic,
charismatic,andanthologizedBlackmaleoratorsofthepasthalf-century.
Asweapproachthethirddecadeofthetwenty-firstcentury,their
speeches,autobiographicalwritings,letters,essays,andpoliticalvisions
continuetomakeheadlines,inspirebookmanuscriptsandmass
movements,andexpandthefieldofAfricanAmericanliterarystudies.
Now,atamomentinU.S.historymarkedbytheprizewinningliterary
productionofanotheralluringBlackmaleorator—formerU.S.President
BarackObama—thetimeisparticularlyripetorevisitworksbyandabout
MalcolmandMartinwithamorecriticaleye.
Inthiscourse,wewillanalyzethespeechmakingtechniquesandselfwritingpracticesofMalcolm,Martin,andBarack,aswellasthereceptionof
thesetechniquesandpracticesinliterary,scholarly,andpopculture
discourses.WewillexaminefamousandobscureworksbytheseAfrican
Americanmaleorators,payingcarefulattentiontohowconventional
notionsoftheAmericanDream,freedom,justice,criminality,racism,racial
uplift,nationhood,andBlackidentityareconceptualizedanewinworks
authoredbyandaboutthesefigures.Amongthereadingsandscreenings
weengageinthiscourseinclude:Malcolm’sspeeches,
“20MillionBlackPeopleinaPolitical,Economic,andMentalPrison,”
“MessagetotheGrassroots,”and“TheBallotortheBullet,”The
AutobiographyofMalcolmX,andSpikeLee’sfilmMalcolmX;Martin’s
speeches,“IHaveaDream,”“ATimetoBreakSilence,”and“ISeethe
PromisedLand,”andAvaDuVernay’sacclaimedfilmonKingandtheCivil
RightsMovement,Selma;andBarackObama’sspeeches,“TheGreatNeedof
theHour”and“AMorePerfectUnion,”hiseulogyfortheHonorable
ReverendClementaPinckney,andhisautobiography,DreamsfromMy
Father.
Eng495:01
LiteratureandtheNonhuman:AnimalsandAnimality
inLiterature
K.Raber
MW3:00-4:15
Ext.N/A
[email protected]
Howdoanimalsfigureinliterature,andtowhatends?Howdoes“the
human”existinrelationto,ortensionwith“theanimal”intextsthat
featureanimalcharacters?Howdofilmsaswellasliterarytextstracethe
historyandimplicationsofhumanrelationshipstotheirfellowcreatures?
Thiscoursewilldevelopsomeanswerstothesequestionsthroughour
Updated 3/20/2017
readingsofnovelsbyJ.M.Coetzee,JackLondon,GeorgiVladmov,Richard
Adams,AnnaSewell,andChinaMiéville,andanalysisoffilmslikeGrizzly
Man,PassionintheDesert,andNeverCryWolf.Studentswillcomplete
weeklyassignmentsrelatedtothereadingsaswellastwoessaysanda
finalexam.
Eng522:01
SpecialTopicsinEnglish--ForGraduateStudentsin
EducationOnly
K.Lechler
T5:00-7:30
Ext:N/A [email protected]
Thiscourse,designedforsecondaryschoolteachers,examinesimagesof
womeninEnglish-languageliterature,pairingworkscommonlyincludedin
high-schoolcurriculawithothertexts.Thiswriting-intensivecoursewill
featureweeklypedagogicalpresentationsaswellasonelongerwriting
assignmenttofosterresearchskillsandfamiliaritywithclassroom
resources.
UniversityWritingCenterServices
WhenplanningtowriteyourpapersforEnglishclasses,don’tforgetthe
benefitofconsultingwithanexperiencedwriterintheUniversityWriting
Center.Inatypical20-to30-minutewritingconsultation,youmayreceive
suggestionsfordevelopmentofideas,audienceconsideration,
organization,style,grammar,anddocumentpresentation.Undergraduate
studentscanscheduleappointmentsthroughouronlineappointment
calendaratwww.olemiss.edu/depts/writing_centerorcall915-7689.
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