Jacobson, Miriam
TR 12:45 PM
Park Hall 0145
This course takes the form of a survey of the major literature written in English, from the Middle Ages to 1699. We will read a selection of works by all the major writers, including Chaucer, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Donne, plus many other lesser-known writers who engage with issues current to our own cultural moment. We will also explore a number of different genres as they emerged, from epic and Romance to Renaissance lyric, prose, and drama.
The course has four goals:
1. To introduce you to an ever-changing list of canonical literary texts written in Britain from the Middle Ages to the end of the Seventeenth Century, along with their styles, genres, and forms.
2. To give you a sense of the main concepts, issues and conflicts at the heart of each text.
3. To stimulate, enrich, and challenge your critical thinking and writing skills, with particular attention to close reading and interpretation.
4. To clarify and enhance your understanding of the role of history in shaping literature, as well as the parallels that arise between the past and our present moment.