LITR220

In this class we will examine American literature from the early European colonization of the Americas to the late 19th century. From the legal, religious, and historical works of Puritan writers to the Romantic works of the American Renaissance, we will consider what kinds of stories Americans wrote about themselves and we will seek to interpret these texts. We will read at least one novel, as well as poetry, short fiction, and works from other genres. We want to consider these texts as works of art in their own right and as products of a grander American literary tradition that we can trace from the 17th century to the present.