2023-2024 Academic Catalog

May 10, 2024

2023-2024 Academic Catalog

ENG 263 - Traumatic Tales: National Trauma in Romantic Literature

The course examines the formation of British national identity through its troubling origins in women’s subordination, class hierarchy, slavery, colonial rule and imperialism. Focusing on the slave narrative, confessional poetry and the political and domestic novel, this seminar will explore the ways in which Romantic writers attempted (and often failed) to articulate an alternative national narrative against the national hegemony, which erased state acts of exploitation and terror. To better understand the concept of national trauma, we will also read extensively in psychoanalytic and critical social theory related to genocide, accidents and torture.

For English majors, this course may satisfy the D-2 or E requirement but cannot double count. For English minors, this course can count either as a seminar in Theory or as a 200-level English seminar, but it cannot double count for the two requirements.

Prerequisites: Prerequisites: One 100-level English literature course (ENG 100-199) or permission of instructor

Course Designation/Attribute: DI

Anticipated Terms Offered: Periodically