In this course we will explore the way literary texts represent and construct gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer identities and experiences. We will start with works considered to be the "first" definitively or openly queer writings in English, and move through the twentieth century. Some of the main questions we will consider are: What historical shifts and social conditions enable the formation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered identities? What are the rewards and limits of established literary genres (such as the novel) when called upon to represent queer lives? When do such lives need new literary forms? What role does the literary and/or reading play in the constitution of identity and community? How are sexual subjectivities intertwined with race, ethnicity, class and other identities and identifications? Readings may include works by such authors as Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Radclyffe Hall, Gertrude Stein, E. M. Forster, Bruce Nugent, Nella Larsen, Carson McCullers, James Baldwin, Allen Ginsburg, John Rechy, Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, Monique Wittig, Neil Bartlett, Jeannette Winterson, Shyam Selvadurai, Achy Obejas, David Wojnarowicz and R. Linmark Zamorra. In addition, we will read some of the most significant writings in history and literary criticism that analyze these works and the contexts from which they emerge. Format: discussion/seminar. Requirements: class participation, two 5-page papers, one longer paper, short writing assignments (total writing: 20 pages) and oral presentation. Prerequisites: a 100-level English course, except 150. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). This course is part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills initiative. (Post-1900)