The History of English Literature Course Description

Course Title: The History of English Literature

Course Prerequisites: An Introduction to Literature

Course Follow-ups: American Literature; British Literature

Credit: 2.0

Total Semester Credit Hours: 32

Lecture Hours: 32

Experiment/Computer Hours: 0       

School: School of Foreign Studies

Major: English

Course Description:

The History of English Literature is divided into two parts. The British literature component is intended to demonstrate literary development in different periods, including literature in ancient times and in the English Renaissance, neoclassicism, romanticism, realism, modernism and postmodernism. It is the same case in American literature. The American literature component explores its developmental history from the colonialist era to national independence, from romanticism to realism, from modernism to postmodernism. Since literature is not separated from social reality and cultural politics, this course not only investigates various schools but also combines British history and American history with the studies of their literature. Thus, literature steps into reality and in a sense guides social development. By analyzing the literary works, students can also fully understand the artistic and social dimensions as a whole.

Textbooks and Course Materials:

1.      常耀信．美国文学简史（第３版）[M]．天津：南开大学出版社，2008．(Chang, Y. A Survey of American Literature. Tianjin: Nankai University Press, 2008.)

2.      索金梅．英国文学史[M]．天津：南开大学出版社，2009．(Suo, J. A History of British Literature. Tianjin: Nankai University Press, 2009.)

Written by: Jing Xingmei