Welcome 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.

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”

Greek epic Reading: Homer, The Odyssey (Book 1, lines 1-22; Book 5)

Greek tragedy Reading: Euripides, Medeia

Shakespeare’s drama and Europeans’ first contact with the “new world” Reading: William Shakespeare, The Tempest

The Gothic, the sublime and the grotesque Reading: E.T.A. Hoffmann, “The Sandman”; William Wordsworth, The Prelude (1805) (Book 13, lines 1-84)

Naturalist drama, social maladies and early feminism Reading: Henrik Ibsen, A Doll House

The modern grotesque and social maladies Reading: Franz Kafka, “Metamorphosis” Assignments/deadlines: Essay 1 due on NEO midnight Thursday 20 March.

A sampling of modernist short stories Reading: Katherine Mansfield, “Bliss”, Elizabeth Bowen, “Sunday Afternoon”

Greek epic reshaped for the modern era Reading: James Joyce, Ulysses (Episode 4 – “Calypso”)

European literature responding to the consequences of World War II (with reference to The Tempest) Reading: Samuel Beckett, Endgame

Friday 25 Apr, 11:15-14:00 Literary feminism reshaping the fairy tale and the Gothic Reading: Charles Perrault, “Bluebeard”, Angela Carter, “The Bloody Chamber”

An Irish version of Medeia Reading: Marina Carr, By the Bog of Cats

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 8 May.

Final test and feedback on essays and on the course