English 62. Migrations: Castaways and Renegades

Instructor: John Stauffer
Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:00-1:15 pm | Location: Emerson 104
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Enrollment: Limited to 27 students.

This course traces the extraordinary rise of American literature from the nation's founding through the early twentieth century. Focusing on the "outsider," we examine how American literature gave definition to a culture that was distinct from Europe. Along the way we explore a number of themes: the dilemma of democratic ideals co-existing with slavery and oppression; women as symbols of America; and the relationship between domestic and national fictions. Authors include Irving, Douglass, Melville, Stowe, Whitman, James, Twain, Chesnutt, Wharton, others.

Note: Be sure to attend first class meeting to be considered for admittance.