ENGL 267: Masterpieces of World Literature

This course is a study of literary works representing a cross-section of the world’s cultural traditions. Readings range from the ancient (such as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh) to the contemporary (such as the novels of the Nigerian Chinua Achebe), from the East (such as the Japanese Noh and Kabuki plays) to the West (such as the magical realism of the Columbian Gabriel Garcia Marquez), and from the traditional (such as the Japanese haikus of Matsuo Basho) to the westernized (such as the modem Chinese poetry of Wen I-to); however, emphasis is on writing from more recent eras. The relationship of particular literary works to other aspects of the cultures in which they were produced (especially music and the visual arts) is examined. Preference is given to students preparing to teach in elementary, middle, or secondary school.