WGST 111(S) The Gendered Nature of Narrative (Same as Comparative Literature 111 and English 120) (W)

COMP 111(S) The Gendered Nature of Narrative (Same as English 120 and Women's and Gender Studies 111) (W)
We spend our lives telling and listening to stories. Why is that so? Some stories compel us more than others, often because of their novelty, while others force us forever to reread them even though they are simple, well-worn tales. Why? These are some of the questions that will engage us in this course, which takes as its main premise the notion that narrative, in terms of both its production and reception, can be fruitfully examined through the prism of gender. Do men and women write differently? How do some authors make this apparent in their output? There are writers for whom the creative process is a form of birthing, and for some it is an act of aggression, a battle waged against the reader. Still others consider narrative form to be genderless and infinitely protean. In this course, we will consider oral as well as written narratives and such authors as Margaret Atwood, Sholem-Aleichem, Isaac Babel, Tahar Ben Jalloun, Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen), and Julia Voznesenskaya. We will also read selections from The Thousand and One Nights, examine some examples of relevant critical theory, and view one or two films.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: active and consistent class participation, three short papers, and a final project.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to students considering a major in Comparative Literature or Literary Studies and who have studied a foreign language.
Hour: VAN DE STADT