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William Dean Howells, Henry James, and Edith Wharton belong to the most influential and, in terms of literature, most self-reflective authors of the turn from the 19th to the 20th century. Socialized in the age of realism (Howells was the chief advocate for realism in the United States), confronted with the emergence of naturalism and in view of the upheavals of modernism, the three authors continuously attempted to adapt their writings to the necessities of the time. In the three novels, which we will explore in this seminar, aspects of realism, of the social novel, of naturalism and of modernism compete for attention. Trigger warning: realism does not necessarily prefer happy endings and you may not feel very happy about who wins and who loses (or is violently kept from living their lives) in these novels.
We will explore the literary strategies of the novel, pay attention to the historical background and discuss the intersections of race (not so clearly visible, but present), class, and gender in the representations. We will discuss how Howells, James, and Wharton balance tradition, aesthetics, and politics.
Reading:
Please start reading these texts before the semester starts (they are longer books!).
- William Dean Howells (1889), A Hazard of New Fortunes. Penguin, 2001.
- Henry James (1886), The Bostonians. Penguin, 2000.
- Edith Wharton (1905), The House of Mirth. Norton, 2018.
Classroom Format: As of now this class is planned as a course taught in presence! You should still register for the class through Agnes so that I can send you the Moodle key and communicate with you if Covid strikes again.
Support:
There will be a Moodle site with information and links.
Requirements:
- You will have to engage in a close reading together with a small group (3-4) of students and suggest an exploration/interpretation of the section you are reading.
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