This module introduces American Transcendentalism, focusing on Ralph Waldo Emerson and his philosophical contributions. Students will explore concepts like ontological individualism, the state of nature, and the influence of Kant and Tocqueville on Transcendentalist thought.
This introductory module sets the stage for exploring American literature by discussing key concepts such as cosmopolitanism, deliberative democracy, and American Exceptionalism. Students will critically engage with Raymond Williams's model of culture, analyzing dominant, residual, and emergent cultural forms.
In this module, the opening chapter of Melville's "Moby-Dick" serves as the focal point for discussions around New York's cosmopolitanism and literary techniques such as synecdoche and metonymy. Students will explore New Historicism and the significance of humanism within the text.
This module examines the literature produced during the settlement of America, contrasting oral and written cultures. Students will explore Native American creation stories and delve into typological hermeneutics, focusing on theological concepts such as original sin and the covenants of works and grace.
This module provides an in-depth examination of American Puritanism, focusing on the theological and literary contributions of key figures like John Calvin and the form of Puritan sermons. Students will analyze the Great Migration's impact on American literature and society.
This module continues the exploration of American Puritanism, focusing on Puritan poetry and significant works such as "The Bay Psalm Book." Students will analyze the influence of English metaphysical poetry on American poets like Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor.
This module introduces American Neoclassicism, discussing the characteristics of Augustan and neoclassical poetic styles. Key figures such as John Dryden and Alexander Pope will be analyzed alongside Aristotle's Poetics, focusing on concepts like mimesis and literary virtues.
This module discusses the transitional period between Edwards's theological views and the Enlightenment. Students will explore the Great Awakening's impact, examining figures like Jonathan Edwards and Benjamin Franklin while analyzing cultural shifts through Raymond Williams's model.
This module focuses on the American Enlightenment, particularly the works of John Bunyan and Thomas Jefferson. Students will engage with concepts of perfectionism, Deism, and the philosophical ideas of John Locke, culminating in discussions around the Declaration of Independence.
This module examines the transition from Neoclassicism to Romanticism within American literature. Key texts and authors, including Wordsworth and William Cullen Bryant, will be analyzed to understand themes of pastoralism, imagination, and the graveyard school.
This module examines the impact of copyright law on American literature, focusing on the emergence of the English Gothic novel and its influence on American writers. Students will analyze works by authors like Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe to understand the genre's characteristics.
In this module, students will explore the professionalization of authorship in America, focusing on Charles Brockden Brown's "Edgar Huntly" and the works of Washington Irving. Discussions will address the dynamics of authorship, copyright law, and the role of literature in American culture.
This module introduces American Transcendentalism, focusing on Ralph Waldo Emerson and his philosophical contributions. Students will explore concepts like ontological individualism, the state of nature, and the influence of Kant and Tocqueville on Transcendentalist thought.
This module continues the exploration of Transcendentalism, examining Emerson's works "The American Scholar" and "Self-Reliance." Students will discuss themes of individualism, property, and possessive individualism in the context of American society and philosophy.
Focusing on Emerson and Thoreau, this module explores key themes in Transcendentalism, such as civil disobedience and the relationship with nature. Students will analyze Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government" and its lasting impact on social and political thought.
This module further investigates Transcendentalism, highlighting the contributions of Emerson, Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. Students will analyze how these writers expressed individualism and the American spirit through their works.
This module addresses the intersection of Transcendentalism and social issues like slavery. Students will examine works by Emerson and Whitman in relation to the Wilmot Proviso and significant political figures of the era.
This module focuses on Frederick Douglass's 1845 Narrative, analyzing its profound impact on abolitionist literature. Students will discuss concepts of individualism within the context of Douglass's experiences and the broader implications of social death and identity.
In this module, students will delve into Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," focusing on the Fugitive Slave Law and its representation of domestic slavery. Discussions will engage with the sentimental fiction genre and its role in shaping public opinion on slavery.
This module continues the analysis of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," deepening the exploration of its themes and characters. Students will critically engage with Stowe's narrative techniques and their effectiveness in conveying anti-slavery messages within the context of American society.
This module introduces Nathaniel Hawthorne's contributions to American literature, analyzing his short stories and themes of American romance and allegory. Students will explore dream-visions and their significance in understanding the American experience.
Continuing the focus on Hawthorne, this module examines the logic of allegory and romance in "The Scarlet Letter." Students will analyze the novel's themes of sin, redemption, and societal judgment within the context of Puritanical America.
This module delves into the complexities of "Moby-Dick," focusing on intertextuality and the broader cultural references within the text. Students will analyze Owen Chase's narrative of the sinking of the whaleship Essex and its influence on Melville's work.
This module continues the examination of "Moby-Dick," discussing themes of agency, free will, fate, and the complex relationships between the principal and agent throughout the narrative. Students will engage with various philosophical interpretations of these themes.
This module explores the themes of race and slavery within the context of "Moby-Dick." Students will analyze how Melville addresses these issues and their implications for American identity during the nineteenth century.
In this final module on "Moby-Dick," students will explore the concept of the Great American Novel, focusing on Melville's work and its revival. Discussions will also encompass cosmopolitanism and cultural expectations in American literature.