Literature and Psychology

Catalog description

Literature has always provided psychologists a source of insights into human behavior, just as psychological theories have offered different perspectives on literature. This course will examine the interplay between psychological theories and literary representation. Issues to be explored include the relationship between text and reader, the emotional experience and expression of characters in the text, and the construction of emotionally-charged fictional worlds. Readings vary from semester to semester but are likely to include a range of literary texts from the modern (post-Freudian) era. This course is cross-listed with PSY 3730. Students will receive credit for either ENG 3730 or PSY 3730, not both.