ENG 414 - Tragedy

Semester Hours: 4

As we make small and large decisions, we face questions of identity, of limitation, and of sovereignty. Who am I? What confronts me? How much control do I have over my life? Because of the importance of these questions, I have chosen tragedy for the context of this course. I do not mean to imply that our situations are or will be tragic; rather, tragic literature explores these enigmatic questions with great profundity. Tragic literature deals thoroughly with the themes of power and empowerment. Tragic heroes and those who write in the tragic vein are in a position where they must confront themselves, where they must come to terms with the possibilities of who they are and who they can become. Like all of us, they are asked to declare themselves for at least one moment in their lives. In this course, we’ll read works by Shakespeare, Melville, Faulkner and others. We’ll also consider theory that considers the genre of tragedy. Students will write papers, create fiction, take exams, and give presentations.

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