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

(ALC-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG)

Fall. 3-4 credits, variable. Student option grading.

Students considering an English major should choose the 4-credit option. This course counts toward the pre-1800 requirement for English majors.

R. Kalas.

English 2010 is an introduction to key works of English and American literature for majors and non-majors. Here’s a chance to study some of the greatest hits of the literary tradition in a single semester: Beowulf; Arthurian legends; works by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Anne Bradstreet, Ben Franklin, Sageyowatha, Phillis Wheatley. Reading across history and geography allows us to ask big questions about literature and society. How did literature factor in England’s transformation from a cultural backwater into a global empire? What role does literature play in disciplining, civilizing, and colonizing subjects? When and how is it used to delight, resist, and rebel? From our reading, we will create a toolkit of literary terms and techniques. And through a series of exercises, students will get hands-on experience with literary experimentation. The class counts toward the pre-1800 requirement for English majors.