| Call Number | 12394 |
|---|---|
| Day & Time Location |
T 12:10pm-2:00pm 612 Philosophy Hall |
| Points | 4 |
| Grading Mode | Standard |
| Approvals Required | None |
| Instructor | Aaron Ritzenberg |
| Type | SEMINAR |
| Method of Instruction | In-Person |
| Course Description | This seminar will examine the complex relationship between literature and emotion, focusing especially on sympathy—a word contested by historians, philosophers, and critics. In a country shaped by individualism and capitalism, what role does sympathy play in politics and the literary imagination? By studying sympathy in American literature—focusing especially on 19th-century sentimentalism—we’ll examine how works written to portray and evoke feeling functioned as powerful social and political forces. We’ll read some of the most popular American fiction ever written as well as more obscure works, and we’ll study the philosophy that informed a sentimental worldview. We’ll explore the legacy of American sentimentalism, studying the backlash against sentimental literature and investigating the ways that sentimental tropes lasted into the twentieth century and beyond. Throughout the course, we’ll read from philosophers and critics who debate the political potential of sympathy—arguing to what extent sympathy releases revolutionary force or fosters political quietism. |
| Web Site | Vergil |
| Department | English and Comparative Literature |
| Enrollment | 7 students (12 max) as of 9:14PM Wednesday, November 20, 2024 |
| Subject | English |
| Number | GR6663 |
| Section | 001 |
| Division | Interfaculty |
| Section key | 20241ENGL6663G001 |