Nineteenth Century American Literary Classics

What is the course about?

This in-college literature course offers a rich encounter with seminal works of 19th century American literature, exploring texts that reflect diverse elements of the American experience of the 19th century. It treats classic works in detail and also allows students the chance to study a range of political, cultural and literary contexts and their role in shaping the work of various writers from the canon of 19th century American literature.

What will we cover?

Focusing on works by major writers, the course will cover a number of interrelated topics in the context of 19th century American literary culture, all of which contributed to the emergence of a distinctive American literary identity. We will examine the following texts:

• Edgar Allan Poe, Selected Short Stories
• Nathaniel Hawthorne, Selected Short Stories
• Herman Melville, Selected Short Stories.
• Walt Whitman, Selected Poems
• Emily Dickinson, Selected Poems
• Mark Twain, Selected Short Stories
• Kate Chopin, The Awakening.

Electronic copies of all texts will be sent to students by the tutor. All texts are also widely available in paperback. Penguin, Oxford, and Norton offer especially useful introductions and reliable texts.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

-Have developed their general literary, historical, and critical knowledge through varied reading on 19th century American literature.

-Students should develop understanding of key individual 19th century American works and authors, and a knowledge of the main historical, literary, and political contexts of nineteenth century American literature.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

No previous knowledge or experience of literature is necessary. However, learners will, ideally, need the following
skills and attributes:
- An enthusiasm for reading and discussing a range of texts in large and small groups.
- A willingness and ability to do some reading and preparation outside the class. You will be expected to read the
selected texts for each session.
- An interest in, and ability to listen to, the responses of other students to the work discussed.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The class will be held in 2-hour sessions over 8 weeks. The first 30 minutes will be an interactive lecture on the text, writer, themes, and contexts. The remaining time will be a round table and small group discussion of the texts in detail.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

No other costs. The tutor will supply all materials but please refer to No.2 for details.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Look up other fiction courses in Literature under History, Culture and Writing/Literature/Fiction at www.citylit.ac.uk.