Department of English

This first-year seminar offers students both an introduction and a deep dive. In it, we will read nearly all of Jane Austen’s works, as well as a few of the most insightful commentaries on her writing. At the same time, we’ll consider the role of adaptation in shaping her legacy — not only recent adaptations, but also some of the works she herself adapted. At its heart, our seminar will be comparatist. How did people consume fiction and other media at the beginning of the 19th century, and how do they do so now? What does it mean to create fictional worlds in a time of war and imperial expansion? How do works change when they jump from one medium or cultural milieu to another?

*This course will be a no-device course*: no Ebooks or Tablets or Laptops; we will use physical books, paper, and pens only. This means that you’ll need to purchase the assigned books only; please don’t write asking for exceptions. Course assignments will be some responses, two essays, and a final exam. For those of you interested in creative writing, at least one of our assignments will have a creative/critical option. Students interested in working on their writing are especially welcome!