LIT 145 CM - Wilde & Co.

The author of sparkling comedies and unforgettable aphorisms, Oscar Wilde was a key figure in the transition from Victorian to Modernist literature. To comprehend Wilde’s singular career requires perspectives drawn from Irish studies, theatre history, 19^th-century literature, comedy and tragedy, sexuality studies, and psychoanalysis. The first half of the course will develop these perspectives as students read Wilde’s works within their original historical and aesthetic contexts. In the second half of the course, we will move forward to meet Wilde’s “company,” the diverse group of writers, artists, and others who have imagined their identities through Wilde’s since 1900. In addition to all of Wilde’s major writings, the syllabus will include later works such as Michael MacLiammor’s The Importance of Being Oscar and Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet.

Offered: Every other year

Credit: 1

Course Number: LIT 145 CM