American Studies 317 - Salem 1692

(Offered as ENGL 417 and AMST) [Fulfills the before 1800 requirement in ENGL and the pre-1900 requirement in AMST] The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692 has long been a center of mythmaking, imagination and mystery in American literature. It is also a major historical event whose causes are still hotly debated. In this course, we will look at the witchcraft trials from multiple perspectives, analyzing original primary sources, scholarly histories, and literature, including Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Donia Elizabeth Allen’s The Tituba Letters and the graphic novel More Weight. The course will include a field trip to the Peabody Essex Museum, which holds the largest collection of original documents on the Salem witch trials, and a walking tour of Salem. The class will culminate in final projects, based on original research, which will offer multiple views of the Witchcraft Crisis. Through readings and final projects, we will consider how literature can be an open-ended space for grappling with difficult histories. This course will emphasize research, close analysis, collaborative thinking and revision, preparing students for advanced level work in the humanities. 

Limited to 18 students. Limited to juniors and seniors. Fall semester. Professor Brooks.

How to handle overenrollment: Preference given to English and American Studies majors

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: close reading, independent research, written work, discussion leading, group work, field trips