American Regional Literatures and Cultures

This lecture course offers a topographical survey of U.S.-American literature by focusing on the importance of various sites and places that have gained prominence in the formation of a specifically American literature (especially New England and the South). While the focus will be on early American literature, we will also look into the tradition of local color in the late 19th century. We will start the course by tracing American literature to its Puritan beginnings, focusing on the spiritual autobiography and the Indian captivity narrative. We will also focus on the Southern colonies and analyze the writings by Captain John Smith and William Byrd. In the 19th century we will look at emergence of regional literature, the main New England texts of the American Renaissance and the local color literature of both New England and the South.
Course Readings:
There will be a course reader, which will be made available on Teams.