ENGH 442: Topics: American Literary Periods

ENGH 442-001: American Literary Realism
(Spring 2020)

01:30 PM to 02:45 PM MW

West Building 1007

Section Information for Spring 2020

The "Gilded Age," as Mark Twain called it, was an era of drastic economic change, U.S. imperial expansion, increased immigration, and continued conflict between races and regions.  It was in this "Age of Realism" that an increasingly diverse group of American authors began publishing literature, adding their voices to the cultural debates regarding what the United States had been and what it might become. 

In this course, we will investigate how the aesthetic commitments of realism intersected with larger debates about national identity and personhood. We will read works by canonical writers such as Henry James, Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, and Frederick Douglass as well as works by lesser-known authors such as African-American fiction writer Charles Chesnutt and Asian American fiction writer Sui Sin Far (Edith Maud Eaton). Grading will be based on participation, a research paper, a collaborative Zotero project, and a presentation. This course counts toward the literature concentration and fulfills the pre-1915 requirement.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

In-depth study of selected period of American literature. In addition to literary examples, materials may be chosen from art, philosophy, or popular culture of time. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different with permission of department. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Satisfaction of University requirements in 100-level English and in Mason Core literature.
Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Lecture, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.