Even in its most brutal expression, revenge lies close to art. Writers in almost every period have exploited this affinity and vengeance is as basic to the detective novel and the suburban sitcom as it is to ancient epic and the medieval fabliau. In this course, we will consider the representation of revenge in a range of genres. Works by Homer, Shakespeare, Poe, Nabokov, Neil Jordan and Lucille Ball. Format: discussion/seminar. Requirements: 20 pages of writing in the form of short papers. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 19). Preference given to first-year students.