200-level English Literature courses
ENGLIT 217 Mythology
Instructor: Ruth Salter, MFA (see faculty profile)
Mode: Online
Myths are powerful, enduring narratives that provide us with essential tools for understanding human culture–including values, rituals, and artistic expression–as well as guidance for living a full and satisfying life. We frequently encounter mythological references in novels, movies, advertisements, video games, etc.; this course will deepen your appreciation for mythology by linking literary analysis of myths to multiple fields of human inquiry, including history, archaeology, psychology, education, the visual arts, and creative writing. At its heart, ENGLIT 217 surveys the various ways global cultures have approached the essential questions of human experience: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens after we die? Learning more about the diverse ways people have responded to these questions will invite you to reflect upon the origins of your own values and beliefs. Join us in this fully online course as we explore myths from around the world and meet gods, goddesses, heroes, and tricksters who will help us understand the power of sacred stories in ancient civilizations, our complex contemporary society, and in our own lives.
ENGLIT 261 Literary History I
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Black (see faculty profile)
Mode: In person
Travel around the world and across time as we explore the history of literature from its earliest beginnings through the early modern period. We will read stories of desperate quests, perilous journeys, tumultuous relationships, supernatural forces, and brave heroes. We will explore how texts build on the past and imagine the future to create the characters and plots that have shaped our world. We will study a range of texts from different times and cultures, focusing specifically on those texts that travel outside their specific national or historical setting into a larger cultural context, to see how different works influence each other and how they work together to reflect and shape human history.
ENGLIT 267 Survey of British Literature I
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Black (see faculty profile)
Mode: In person
English 267 will help you get more familiar with some of the most important and influential works of British literature from the medieval period until 1790. We will look at the ways literature has been created and disseminated, the role it plays in both reflecting and shaping society, and its various meanings for readers over the centuries. This class is valuable for English majors and non-majors for the cultural literacy it offers, as well as for the chance to closely read, analyze, and write about great texts from Beowulf to Gulliver’s Travels.
ENGLIT 275—001 Methods of Literary Studies
Instructor: Professor Tom Hillard (see faculty profile)
Mode: In person
Methods of Literary Studies is an introductory course designed to prepare students for the critical reading and writing skills required for upper-division literature classes. In this class we will read and discuss examples from the major genres of literature – poetry, fiction, and drama – as we explore the concepts and terminology that literary critics and scholars use to study and analyze them. Along the way, students will practice and refine their skills in writing about literature within the field of literary studies. This course will also provide an initial introduction to more advanced theories of reading and literary analysis. In short, this course is designed to sharpen the skills of reading, analyzing, and writing about literature and help students lay a foundation for success in subsequent ENGLIT courses.
ENGLIT 275—002 Methods of Literary Studies
Instructor: Professor Matthew Hansen (see faculty profile)
Mode: In person
Preparation for upper-division literature courses. Engagement with principal types of literature, central questions in literary studies, and ways of conducting literary research. Emphasis on critical thinking and writing.
ENGLIT 277 Survey of American Literature I
Instructor: Professor Steven Olsen-Smith (see faculty profile)
Mode: In person/Online Hybrid
What are the earliest known Native American myths? How did the New England Puritans convert prayer into poetry? Who gave the short story genre its uniquely American character? When did the idea of the Great American Novel replace the idea of the Great National Poem? Who invented free verse? In this survey of American literature from the Colonial period to the Civil War, we’ll explore these questions and many others, addressing spiritual and material motives for early American exploration and settlement, Puritan theology and historiography, the Enlightenment, the American Revolution, evolving conceptions of human nature and the natural world, evolving conceptions of God, the quest for a national literature, Romanticism and Transcendentalism, the fight against conformity and materialism, the struggle against slavery, the rise of psychology and the treatment of sexuality in American literature. Along with involving traditional interpretive writing and examination, this section of ENGLIT 277 requires online activity using digital platforms for literary analysis and discussion. Class meets in person every Thursday, with required platform activity due every Tuesday.