ENGL 217 - World Literature: Renaissance Through the Present

3 Credits: (3 lecture)

Course Description
Beginning in the Renaissance and progressing through the twentieth century, this course explores both Western and Non-Western literary and cultural traditions.  The course encourages awareness of a global environment through exploration of selected works in various genres including poetry, prose, and drama. This course meets the General Education competency of Values, Ethics, and Diverse Perspectives (VE).

Note Spring semester only.

Prerequisite ENGL 101 or permission of the instructor.

A. Identify authors, titles, and details from assigned readings. 

B. Define literary terms from various cultures and languages. 

C. Critically interpret assigned readings. 

D. Analyze assigned readings.  

E. Relate texts to literary, historic, cultural, and ethical perspectives and problems. (VE)  

F. Examine, through literary texts, the complexity of global human diversity and the various forces that shape it. (VE)  

Content
A. Historic, cultural, and philosophical foundations of literature 

B. Literature of The Late Renaissance 

C. Literature of The Age of Enlightenment 

D. Literature of The Nineteenth Century 

E. Literature of The Twentieth Century 

Student Evaluation
A. Quizzes, exams 

B. Exams  

C. Class discussion, essay questions on exams 

D. Critical papers 

E. Critical papers, class discussion 

F. Critical papers, class discussion 

 

Bibliography
Damrosch, David. What is World Literature? Princeton UP, 2003. 

D’haen, Theo. The Routledge Concise History of World Literature. Routledge, 2011.  

D’haen, Theo, et. al., eds. World Literature: A Reader. Routledge, 2012.  

Prendergast, Christopher, ed. Debating World Literature. Verso, 2004. 

Pizor, John. The Idea of World Literature: History and Pedagogical Practice. Louisiana State UP, 2006.  

Thomsen, M. R. Mapping World Literature: International Canonization and Transitional Literatures. Continuum, 2008.