Critical Theory: Canon & Counter-Canon

How do we decide, in an English class, what to read in the first place? That is the question at the heart of this Critical Theory course. Students explore the canon of nineteenth-century British Literature as it has evolved over time, with one-time bestsellers falling into obscurity and long-neglected texts emerging as classics. Along the way, students learn about the various forces and agents that have shaped the canon — from broad cultural movements to heavyweight institutions like the Norton Anthology of English Literature to individual scholars. The class ranges beyond the current canon as well. Each unit pairs a canonical text or author with one that is currently out in the cold, and students are invited to consider how the non-canonical text challenges or enriches our understanding of the period. The Fall semester concludes with some hands-on canon-expanding work: in small groups, students make a critical edition of a neglected abolitionist poem.