This lecture series will offer a survey of English and American Literature.  To enable active student participation and involvement, I have chosen to emphasize short, lyric poems that may be read repeatedly and studied intensively, and dramatic forms that may be viewed in their filmic versions (with subtitles if necessary), reserving key scenes or passages for more careful study and analysis. 

This course offers a selection of readings, in several major genres, across numerous centuries, and in multiple national traditions: if there is a unifying thematic focus it is how literature remains urgent, innovative, and “modern” in the sense of adapting to the present, immediate and distinct concerns of its writers, readers and audiences.  We will exam how language, style and form respond to history, society and culture, and how varied, idiosyncratic and weird are their perfections.

The learning aims of this course are: to familiarize students with the generic and formal features of English Literature; to develop competencies in the more remote vocabularies, and syntactical variations, of literary English(es); to distinguish character, voice, and “tone” of expression in written works; to enhance students’ close-reading skills; to learn and apply the technical and critical concepts of literary studies; to practice analytical, interpretative and argumentative strategies in oral and written English; to learn to hear literature, to listen for its unique and expressive sounds as well as its sense; to trace the differences and similarities of different national, racial and ethnic forms of literature; but above all, and selfishly, to learn to ENJOY English literature.