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ENGL287
The New Woman and the American Novel, 1880-1930
ENGL287 SP
Crosslistings: WMST288, AMST277
Next Offered in 9899 SP
Beginning with the late Victorian era and continuing at
least through the Great Depression, the dominant culture of
the U.S. underwent what has been described as a "gender
crisis". The expansion of female education and careers for
women, the growth of mass media targeted to female
audiences, the spreading hegemony of consumer culture,
and, above all, the activist energies of feminism render
expectations about sexuality and family roles radically
uncertain. The novel, which is often thought to turn on
marriage and domesticity, is unavoidably altered. We will
look for the way women and men authors responded to these
developments.
MAJOR READINGS
W.D. Howells, THE RISE OF SILAS LAPHAM
Henry James, PORTRAIT OF A LADY
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, THE YELLOW WALLPAPER
Edith Wharton, THE HOUSE OF MIRTH
Sarah Orne Jewett, THE COUNTRY OF THE POINTED FIRS
Pauline Hopkins, CONTENDING FORCES
Willa Cather, MY ANTONIA
Gertrude Stein, THREE LIVES
Djuna Barnes, NIGHTWOOD
Nella Larsen, QUICKSAND
F. Scott Fitzgerald, TENDER IS THE NIGHT
Plus selected readings in the history of feminism and
gender.
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Midterm, final, research paper
(10-15 pp)
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
This will be a
reading intensive course, and students will be expected to
keep up with a demanding syllabus. This course counts
towards the English Department's historical knowledge
requirement.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting
or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the
first class, they will be dropped from the class list.
NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form
to the Registrar's Office.
COURSE FORMAT: Seminar
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level: UG Credit: 1.00
Gen Ed Area & Dept: HA ENGL
Prerequisites:
None
Last Updated on MAR-03-1998
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Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459