ENGL 4233

ENGL 4233 X2
The American Gothic: 19^th to 20^th century
Honours Winter Seminar
Instructor:  Lisa Narbeshuber

In this senior seminar, we will begin by distinguishing British from American gothic and consider the evolution of American gothic from the late nineteenth century to well into the twentieth century. We will cover a wide variety of forms and genres--novels, paintings, film, poetry, essays, and short stories. Authors covered may include Edgar Allan Poe, Edith Wharton, William Faulkner, Carson McCullers, Truman Capote, Alfred Hitchcock, Sylvia Plath, and Toni Morrison. The course will explore how this popular genre, wedding terror and pleasure, transgresses rational thought, sexual normalcy, the nuclear family, and racial stereotypes. Focusing on those fringe elements of American society at the time and today, gothic authors—often marginalized figures in their own right--highlighted the unspeakable, challenging the moral fiber of modern American culture and its traditions.

Tentative course requirements include participation (20%), a presentation (20%), and 2 major essays (30% each).