| Course | Title | Instructor | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| COM LIT 60A | WORLD LITERATURE | TANG, A. | This 5-week course covers the development of master works of literature between the 14th Century and the present day, over a broad range of geographical regions. In the history of world literature, they characterize two stages of development: the first dominated by the European-originated, canonical type, and a second globalized in other non-Western literary traditions. For the first stage, in the first two weeks, we will study some significant Renaissance masterpieces to understand the Western canon. Then, for the second stage, in the following three weeks, we will discover how the canon shifted in the 20th Century by reading master works from various modern societies that demonstrate a strong focus on the genre of novel. The changes in the favored genres as well as themes in literary master works from the past to the present prompt us to contemplate what constitutes "world literature." Is some literature from certain cultures more important than others? Which are included in the canon of world literature, and which are silenced? How does some literature become "worldly" or "global"? What are some common themes and values they share that express a cross-cultural concern against national boundaries? What are some historical, cultural and philosophical approaches one can use to read these master works as an informed reader? To answer these questions, this course guides you through the literary texts across historical and cultural parameters. We will examine some elements that constitute world literature, the conditions that limit it, and the critical approaches, theories and paradigms used to read it. |