Course Syllabus

ENGL 2430 Gothic and Supernatural Literature

Course Description

This course explores Gothic and supernatural literature, with an emphasis on horror fiction, from the 18th century to the present. Representative Gothic texts encompass a variety of time periods, locations, and perspectives, possibly including Victorian England, twentieth-century Latin America, and works by contemporary American writers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Important Gothic themes might include the sublime, the unknown, sexual identity, societal fears, the nature of good and evil, science, and superstition.

Justification

The supernatural has always been an important theme in literature, explored by many prominent authors, including Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, and Henry James. Modern horror is a very popular genre, both in print and on the screen. English 2430 gives the modern reader a chance to connect the present to the past, providing a deeper appreciation for a genre that is sometimes marginalized by popular culture. This course provides a useful introduction to literature and literary analysis for non-English majors as well as English majors.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. Students will be able to identify and analyze prominent literary works that are representative of culturally diverse values. Students will be able to reflect on Gothic and Supernatural themes and explain how these themes demonstrate various historical and cultural understanding about the natural world.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will be able to understand primary Gothic and Supernatural texts and research surrounding historical context through secondary source material.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. Students will be able to draw from relevant disciplines, which may include history, sociology, philosophy, economics, and geography to effectively understand and interpret literary works in the context of the time and place from which they were produced.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. Students will be able to critically evaluate rhetorical choices the author makes in order to understand and interpret the literature. Students will be able to understand the development of ideas in Gothic and Supernatural literature as reflected in representative texts.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Through the study of a representative selection of Gothic and Supernatural texts, students will be able to explore a variety of philosophical problems concerning human thought and experience (e.g., the sublime, sexual identity, and the nature of evil).  Through the study of a representative selection of Gothic and Supernatural texts, students will be able to explore a variety of philosophical problems concerning human thought and experience (e.g., the sublime, sexual identity, and the nature of evil).
2. EXPLAIN: Explain how humanities artifacts take on meaning within networks or systems (such as languages, cultures, values, and worldviews) that account for the complexities and uncertainties of the human condition. Through the practice of close reading (literary analysis), students will be able to understand how knowledge is created within the field of literature, particularly Gothic studies. Students will understand how factors such as history, audience, authorial choices in relation to the text, and personal biases impact the reading of a text. Students may be asked to read one or more scholarly articles that exemplify scholarship in the field.
3. ANALYZE: Analyze humanities artifacts according to humanities methodologies, such as a close analysis, questioning, reasoning, interpretation, and critical thinking. Students will be able to utilize a variety of critical approaches to interpret and understand Gothic and Supernatural literature. They will be able question and interpret representative literary texts.
4. COMPARE AND CONTRAST: Compare and contrast diverse humanistic perspectives across cultures, communities, and/or time periods to explain how people make meaning of their lives. Students will be able to read, interpret, analyze, and synthesize (compare and contrast) a representative selection of primary literary texts from the Gothic/Supernatural genre that spans a variety of peoples and times.
5. APPLY: Using humanities perspectives, reflect on big questions related to aesthetics, values, meaning, and ethics and how those apply to their own lives.  Students will be able to critically respond to representative Gothic/Supernatural literary texts that present various values and ethical complexities. Students will be able to question, analyze, evaluate, and apply these texts within the contexts of their individual and larger community experiences in order to engage in meaningful ways.

Course Content

English 2430 covers a historically representative selection of culturally significant works that often feature spirits, monsters, inexplicable phenomena, and various forms of madness. The course focuses on close reading, literary conventions, historical influences, contextual and textual analysis, interpretation, synthesis, critical thinking, and writing.