In this class, we will explore how the eighteenth-century novel defined itself as a genre grounded in specific ways of writing and reading (often in opposition to other forms of writing and reading). The novel, itself a tangled mix of styles and structures, anticipated a complex audience--and constitutes subjectivity in ways that complicate gender, class, and national identities. We'll be examining some of those identities and stories throughout our readings, which will probably include works by Haywood, Defoe, Richardson, Fielding, Burney, Lewis, and Wollstonecraft.

Course requirements will involve two short papers, a midterm, and a (non-cumulative) final examination, in addition to enthusiastic participation in class discussion.