INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE: CONTEXT AND INTERPRETATION - LIT200 Spring 2024
Course
Lessons
Here is the course outline:
1. WELCOMEWelcome to Introduction to Literature. For course syllabus and some general resources, please go to the Resources tab. Texts for individual sessions are attached to the Lessons here. PLEASE NOTE that due to the Wednesday holidays later in the semester, the course starts on Friday 2 February. Please also note that there will be no class on 14 February. |
2. Literary Cultures and Close Reading of Literature
Feb 2
Reading in the context of different cultures and periods Reading: William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 130”; Audre Lorde, “Who Said It Was Simple”; Michael Ondaatje, “Sweet Like a Crow” |
3. Ancient Literature I
Feb 7
Greek epic Reading: Homer, The Odyssey (Book 1, lines 1-22; Book 5) |
4. Ancient Literature II
Feb 21
Friday 24 Feb, 14:45-17:30 Greek tragedy Reading: Euripides, Medeia |
5. Early Modern Literature
Feb 23
Shakespeare’s drama and Europeans’ first contact with the “new world” Reading: William Shakespeare, The Tempest This make-up class will take place on Friday 23 February, 11:30-14:15 |
6. Romanticism
Feb 28
The Gothic, the sublime and the grotesque Reading: E.T.A. Hoffmann, “The Sandman”; William Wordsworth, The Prelude (1805) (Book 13, lines 1-84) |
7. Realism
Mar 6
Naturalist drama, social maladies and early feminism Reading: Henrik Ibsen, A Doll House |
8. Realism and Surrealism
Mar 13
The modern grotesque and social maladies Reading: Franz Kafka, “Metamorphosis” Assignments/deadlines: Essay 1 due on NEO midnight Thursday 14 March. |
9. Modernism I
Mar 20
A sampling of modernist short stories Reading: Katherine Mansfield, “Bliss”, Elizabeth Bowen, “Sunday Afternoon” |
10. Modernism II
Apr 3
Greek epic reshaped for the modern era Reading: James Joyce, Ulysses (Episode 4 – “Calypso”) |
11. Absurdist Writing
Apr 10
European literature responding to the consequences of World War II (with reference to The Tempest) Reading: Samuel Beckett, Endgame |
12. “Fairy Tales” for the Present Day
Apr 17
Literary feminism reshaping the fairy tale and the Gothic Reading: Charles Perrault, “Bluebeard”, Angela Carter, “The Bloody Chamber” |
13. Contemporary Versions of Ancient Literature I
Apr 24
An Irish version of Medeia Reading: Marina Carr, By the Bog of Cats |
14. Contemporary Versions of Ancient Literature II
May 15
An African American version of the Odyssey Reading: Suzan-Lori Parks, Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) Assignments/deadlines: Essay 2 due on NEO midnight Thursday 16 May. |
15. Final test and feedback on essays and on the course
May 22
Final test and feedback on essays and on the course |