Department of English

This upper-division seminar, designed for students in the Ben Franklin Honors program, will investigate the complex relations between gender norms and relational structures of many kinds in Britain between the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 and the end of the eighteenth century. Emphasis will be on primary texts in various genres and on individual student research. We may read and discuss a few works of literary theory and criticism, but this will not be a course in literary theory. Students will learn to use sophisticated research tools, including electronic databases and Penn's library of Special Collections and Rare Books, if the construction schedule allows. Students will produce oral reports, annotated bibliographies, formal abstracts, and research essays.  BFS students will be admitted first. BFS students from majors other than English are welcome. Students must have completed the University writing requirement before enrolling in this class.