Literary texts preserve human voice-they are "timeless"-but they are also historical objects themselves, rooted in time. Our reading and experience of literature is everywhere and always "historical," a look through time. In this course we will look closely at the ways in which time matters for readers and writers. What does historical "context" mean, and how much attention should we pay to it? What sort of historical objects do literary texts make? In what ways are writers and their works part of an ongoing historical narrative? We will read a broad spectrum of literary works and critical essays. The literary works will be primarily poetry, from various periods, with special focus on Shakespeare and Dickinson. Critical texts will include formal literary histories and critical essays from several periods, past and present. Format: seminar/tutorial. Requirements: significant in-class participation and work, frequent short writing assignments, two shorter and one longer paper, totalling 15-20 pages. Prerequisites: at least one 300-level English course. Enrollment limit: 15 (expected: 15). (Criticism)