ENGL 2010 - Literatures in English I: From Old English to the New World

(HB) (LA-AS)      

Students considering an English major should choose the 4-credit option.

R. Kalas.

Though it is now the global language of communication, English was once considered the vulgar tongue of a backwater. In this course, we will go to the sources of what we have come to call English literature to understand how texts and literary cultures played a role in shaping society and fashioning subjects, and how they also gave voice to dissent and difference — from the oral epic tradition of Beowulf to the public playhouses of Shakespeare’s England, and from the intimate lyrics of the metaphysical poets to the indigenous and colonial voices of North America. We’ll also take time to dwell on signal texts that can teach us the craft of literary invention. As we range from the boggiest depths of folk legend to the “light fantastic” of lyrical meter, we’ll be building a toolkit of the literary terms and techniques that are necessary for the interpretation and creation of literary works. And through a series of exercises, students will gain hands-on experience with literary experimentation. The class counts toward the pre-1800 requirement for English majors.