Approaches to literary study, including textual analysis, scholarly methodology and bibliography, critical theory and practice.

This seminar introduces students to the practices of professional literary study. Our focus will be three of our discipline's most fundamental concerns: textual criticism and editing; the production, circulation, and reception of texts; and theories of interpretation. We will not only examine the methods entailed by these modes of inquiry—asking what makes a particular approach meaningful and why—but also put such methods into practice. Students will write papers that speak to these different critical modes as well as a culminating final paper. These final papers will be presented to the department at a day-long symposium at the end of the semester. Enrollment is limited to first-year students in the English department's doctoral program. No auditors will be permitted. See also https://english.berkeley.edu/courses/7715

Other Readings and Media

Readings will be made available online.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.