Introductory Topics in Literature
Topic: Pity and Fear: From Greek Tragedy to Modern Horror
Class Information
Instructor: Connally, Kenneth
CRN: 23325
Time: TR 1:40-3:00
Location: 116 Veihmeyer
GE Areas: Writing Experience
Description
Studies of horror fiction generally begin with the rise of Gothic fiction in the late eighteenth century. Yet, while many definitions of the horror genre exist, all would seem to include the tendency to provoke fear in the reader, and Aristotle famously defined the "tragic emotions" as pity and fear. This course will explore the possibility of tracing the roots of modern horror fiction beyond the Gothic, to the tradition of tragic drama that goes back to ancient Greece. In the first half of the course, we will follow the course of tragedy from antiquity to Shakespeare. In the second half, we will read some of the key works of horror fiction from the eighteenth century to the present, with a focus on techniques and concerns the genre shares with classical and Shakespearean tragedy. Themes we will return to throughout the course include motherhood, domestic dysfunction, the haunting presence of the past, and fate.
Grading
Student-Led Discussion: 5%
Reading Quizzes: 10%
Midterm: 15%
Final Exam: 20%
Short Essays & Revisions: 20%
Term Paper: 30%
Texts
Medea, Euripides
The Shining, Stephen King
Macbeth, William Shakespeare
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Canvas Course Reader (including readings from Aristotle, Seneca, Radcliffe, Poe, Lovecraft, Reed, Gilman, and Jemisin)