Offered as WLT 203 and ENG 203. Chrétien de Troyes’s Yvain; Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra; Cervantes’ Don Quixote; Lafayette’s The Princesse of Clèves; Goethe’s Faust; Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Lecture and discussion. WLT 203/ENG 203, like WLT 202/ENG 202, is among the courses from which comparative literature majors choose two as the basis of the major. Students interested in comparative literature and/or the foundations of Western literature and wanting a writing-intensive course should take 202 or 203 or both.

A selection of the most engaging and influential works of literature written in England before 1800. Some of the earliest survived only by a thread in a single manuscript, many were politically or religiously embattled in their own day, and some were the first of their kind in English. Fights with monsters, dilemmas of chivalry, a storytelling pilgrimage, a Faustian pact with the devil, a taste of the forbidden fruit, epic combat over a lock of hair: these writings remain embedded in our culture and deeply woven into the texture of the English language. Enrollment limited to 20.

This course teaches the skills that enable us to read literature with understanding and pleasure. By studying examples from a variety of periods and places, students learn how poetry, prose fiction and drama work, how to interpret them and how to make use of interpretations by others. English 199 seeks to produce perceptive readers well equipped to take on complex texts. This gateway course for prospective English majors is not recommended for students simply seeking a writing intensive course. Readings in different sections vary, but all involve active discussion and frequent writing.

This course teaches the skills that enable us to read literature with understanding and pleasure. By studying examples from a variety of periods and places, students learn how poetry, prose fiction and drama work, how to interpret them and how to make use of interpretations by others. English 199 seeks to produce perceptive readers well equipped to take on complex texts. This gateway course for prospective English majors is not recommended for students simply seeking a writing intensive course. Readings in different sections vary, but all involve active discussion and frequent writing.

An introductory exploration of the English language, its history, current areas of change and future. Related topics such as how dictionaries are made and the structure of the modern publishing industry. Students learn about editing, proofreading and page layout; the course also entails a comprehensive review of grammar and punctuation.

In this intellectually rigorous writing class, students will learn how to craft compelling "true stories," using the journalist’s tools. They will research, report, write, revise, source, and share their work—and, through interviewing subjects firsthand, understand how other people see the world. We will consider multiple styles and mediums of journalism, including digital storytelling. Prerequisite: One WI course. Students should focus their attention and effort on academic exposition and argumentation before learning other forms of writing. Enrollment limited to 16.

Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste: Everything we know reaches us through our senses. We share a world filtered through a million sensibilities - finding the words to convey what we hear, see, smell, taste, and feel is one of the most fundamental skills a writer can develop. In this class, we will hone our descriptive powers to go beyond the obvious and uncover language that delights and surprises us even as we write. We will learn to use one sense to write about another, combine them in powerful metaphors, and explore how our senses shape the narratives that drive us.

In the 20th century, as literacy rates rose, images disappeared from literature. Pictures were relegated to children’s books; only words were fit for adults. But the situation is changing. The internet and new printing technologies have allowed serious stories to again be told with words and images. We’ll study creative nonfiction in graphic novels, hybrid and artist’s books, art labels, zines, digital platforms and more. You needn’t be an artist to take this class!

This coursefamiliarizes students with key aspects of structure and form in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. We focus in turn on such elements of creative writing as imagery, diction, figurative language, character, setting, and plot. Students draft, workshop, and revise three pieces of writing over the course of the semester, one each in the genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Enrollment limited to 14.

This coursefamiliarizes students with key aspects of structure and form in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. We focus in turn on such elements of creative writing as imagery, diction, figurative language, character, setting, and plot. Students draft, workshop, and revise three pieces of writing over the course of the semester, one each in the genres of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Enrollment limited to 14.