Introduction to Poetry and Drama

An introduction to the critical reading of literature through the study and analysis of poetry and drama across historical periods from Shakespeare to twenty-first century poets and dramatists. While this course will teach students how to perform college-level literary analysis of canonical texts, it will also teach them how to question and evaluate the cultural narratives that literature circulates. As such, the class will explore questions of gender, class, race, nationhood/nation building, and the problematic literary canon in order to develop strategies for negotiating complex literary texts and to become better, more nuanced readers.