3.0

Average Course Rating

First we read, and then we write,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, advocating that a deep and proactive immersion in the written page was an essential prerequisite of the creative life. The books and First we read, and then we write,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, advocating that a deep and proactive immersion in the written page was an essential prerequisite of the creative life. The books and essays we write today are in conversation with those written in the past, and to contribute to this rich, ongoing literary dialogue, we must not only know what came before us, but understand how and why. Our objective is not to reassess or decolonize the canon but––through lectures, discussions, and close readings––to study and compare 19th century literary forms and intentions to contemporary practice and invigorate our own work. This course requires extensive reading and considerable online participation. Students will read either War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy or The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, in addition to numerous texts selected from a broad list of 19th century writers. Although there will be a greater emphasis (due to time constraints) on fiction rather than nonfiction, the craft techniques under discussion are critical for all literary forms; therefore, all students are invited to enroll.