Department of English

Juvenilia, the work of authors and artists in childhood and adolescence, is an often overlooked genre. Sometimes a derided genre, as if youth precludes brilliance, or even value. But we know better. Just look at Jane Austen, Phillis Wheatley, the Brontes, Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde, W.H. Auden, Margaret Atwood...Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, all of whom produced complex, remarkable works before the age of eighteen. In this course, we will study the youthful work of some of our most notable creators, exploring both the individuals themselves and the environment in which they live(d) and create(d). 

Assignments include two short essays, one longer final paper, weekly quick responses, and a presentation on your literary passion.