We will study the history of biological sisters by looking at the representations of sisters in mythology, psychology, drama, narrative fiction, and film. From Cinderella stories to stories in which the hero sleeps with his wife's sister, we will ask about the relationship between representation and reality and how continuity and change in ideas of sorority express larger cultural and ideological concerns. Texts include fairytales, biblical narrative, Sophocles' "Antigone", Shakespeare's "King Lear", and "Taming of the Shrew", Chekov's "Three Sisters", novels by Austen, Alcott, and Walker; and films include "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," "Sweetie," and "Like Water for Chocolate." There will be short weekly writing assignments.