ENG 117 - Introduction to Literature and Ethics

An introduction to the goals, methods, and ethical implications of literary analysis in the 21st century. The underlying assumption is that there is no such thing as a generic reading of a literary work; all readings depend on a critical framework. The second assumption is that literature is either supportive, hostile, or ambivalent toward the creation of a better world. From this starting point, the course is constructed around some of the most important ethical approaches to literary interpretation that may include, but are not limited to, Marxism, gender studies, feminism, post-colonialism, ecocriticism. These opposed and overlapping approaches will help students identify contemporary methods of literary analysis and the moral insights they yield.

General Education Requirements: Ethics

Prerequisites: ENG 101 or permission of instructor.

Course Typically Offered Every Fall & Spring

Credits: 3