Reading Women's Writing

In this course we will investigate the tradition of women's writing in English from the sixteenth century to the present day, focusing on the complex relationships among writing, sexuality, race, and gender. We will consider the ways in which writers identifying as female respond to--and often subvert--traditional literary themes and conventions. Though our focus will be primarily on the interpretation of literary works, we will also develop an awareness of relevant debates in Feminist Theory, Gender Studies, and Queer Theory. 3 hrs. sem.