Women & Humor ((3 Credits))

Catalog description

What is women’s humor? Why has humor by women been largely resisted or overlooked? This course will examine women’s use of humor as a form of social protest. In particular we will look at the movement away from domestic humor of 19th century writers like Fanny Fern and Francis Miriam Whitcher toward the use of satire by such 20th century women of wit as Dorothy Parker, Mary McCarthy, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Alice Childress, Betty MacDonald, Jean Kerr, and Erma Bombeck. Students will gain knowledge of theories of humor and satire as well as an understanding of the changing role of women in America from the 1850s to the 1960s. This course satisfies one 3-credit elective requirement of the American Studies and the Women and Gender Studies advanced certificates. This course was previously LIB-640576.