Chinese 597M - ST: The Ming-Qing Novel

This course introduces the major works of traditional Chinese fiction, including Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Chamber. We will engage in close readings of these great novels, while paying attention to issues such as the representation of history, gender relations, changes in conceptions of desire, religious and philosophical beliefs, and the characterization of heroes and anti-heroes, among others.