Studies in Literature by Women

Catalog description

What is American women’s literature, and how has it been shaped by writers of diverse identities? Susie King Taylor asked in Reminiscences of My Life in Camp why her service in the Civil War did not grant her equality. Nella Larsen noted in Passing how something as fragile as race could dictate a woman’s life and opportunities. Octavia Butler speculated in Dawn that prejudices would continue to define American society, even in post-apocalyptic worlds. This course will examine literature by American women from the mid-nineteenth century to the late twentieth century, considering the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, class, and labor. We will consider how American women depict issues of identity and belonging by examining four thematic groups: slavery and freedom, liminality, social reproduction, and the speculative. Satisfies the LTRQ Ways of Knowing requirement. Prerequisites & Notes First-year students require permission of the instructor.