ENGL 232 - The Novel

FDR: HL
Credits: 3

Prerequisite: Completion of FW requirement. An introductory study of the novel written in English. The course may focus on major representative texts or upon a subgenre or thematic approach. In all cases, the course introduces students to fundamental issues in the history and theory of modern narrative.

Winter 2016, ENGL 232: The Novel: The Marriage Plot and Its Discontents (3). Lord Byron once noted that “All tragedies are finished by a death, all comedies are ended by marriage.” Reflecting on the generically normative notion that marriage is the happiest ending for relationships–both on and off the page–we might ask not just “Does narrative have a sexuality?” but also “Is narrative straight?” In this course, we explore how the English-language novel developed in tandem with shifting understandings of sexuality, kinship, and love. At the same time, we discover forms of narrative life and love that are ignored or undervalued by novels that “play it straight.” Thus, we encounter texts whose characters and erotics deviate from the usual demands of narrative, and work instead towards queer ends. (HL) Alexander.

Planned Offering: Fall, Winter