EN-UY 2254W Literature and War

4 Credits

This course explores how literary depictions of war have changed over time. We begin with early examples such as Virgil’s “Aeneid,” “Beowulf,” and Shakespeare’s “Henry” plays, in which war is closely identified with heroism and coming of age and move onto later examples such as Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” and O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” in which participating in war is portrayed as a more troubling activity. In addition to literature, we will address theoretical readings on the impact of new technology on the language of war.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of first year writing requirements
Note: Satisfies a humanities and social sciences elective.