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 tragedy Reading: Euripides, Medea

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 Assignments/deadlines: Interim participation grade (Week 5) awarded.

The modern grotesque and social maladies Reading: Franz Kafka, “Metamorphosis”

The modern grotesque, social maladies and intertextuality Reading: Flann O’Brien, “John Duffy’s Brother” Assignments/deadlines: In-class Essay 1.

Modernist narrative strategies Reading: Katherine Mansfield, “Bliss”, Elizabeth Bowen, “Sunday Afternoon” Assignments/deadlines: Test 1

Modernist narrative strategies Reading: James Joyce, "The Dead"

European literature responding to the consequences of World War II (with reference to The Tempest) Reading: Samuel Beckett, Endgame Assignments/deadlines: Interim participation grade (Week 10) awarded.

A feminist reshaping of the fairy tale and the Gothic Reading: Charles Perrault, “Bluebeard”, Angela Carter, “The Bloody Chamber”

Versions of Greek drama and mythology by contemporary women (Medea) Reading: Marina Carr, By the Bog of Cats

Versions of Greek mythology by contemporary women (Orpheus and Eurydice) Reading: Carol Anne Duffy, “Eurydice” Assignments/deadlines: In-class Essay 2.

Test 2 and feedback on the course