10:20a-11:35p D (30) 3 cr.
“The sun never sets on the British Empire” was a familiar saying in Queen Victoria’s day. A century after Victoria’s death, the sun never sets on the English language: at any moment in time, somewhere in the world, someone is speaking (and writing) in English. This course will provide an introduction to--though by no means a complete survey of--modern world literature in English, with emphasis on the ways in which the British colonialist legacy and its more recent counterpart, American cultural imperialism, have shaped the literary preoccupations of a wide range of modern authors writing in English. We will read short novels, stories, essays, plays, and poetry originating from geographical regions as diverse as Great Britain and Ireland; anglophone Africa; the Indian subcontinent; the Caribbean; Australia and New Zealand; and North America (with emphasis on the ways in which race, ethnicity, and the immigrant experience have shaped American and Canadian writing). Despite the variety and range of the texts that we will be considering, we will be able to trace through them a number of common issues and shared themes: the role of literary tradition as both a guiding force and a site of rebellion; the place of the artist in society; the search for a language and a literary form that might best express the complexities of modern life.
Writing assignments are likely to include one or two short papers (3- 5 pages); a longer essay (7-10 pages); a group presentation; a final creative project; and occasional informal explications and paragraphs. Daily quizzes will be used to ensure that everyone keeps up with the reading. Active participation in class discussions will be both expected and required.