ENG 262-007 World Literature
Literature of the Americas: Reflections
Fall, 1995
MWF 1:25 - 2:15
McKee 143
Professor Marcus Embry
In this course, we will focus on textual representations of the Americas from
three periods in the post-Columbian period. We will examine the texts in their
historical contexts of colonialism, independence and modernity, and imperialism
and modernism. By focusing on historical views of the production of literature
in three chronologically different Americas, we will interrogate the manner in
which these texts write across the boundaries of North and Latin America,
appealing to a historical sense of influence, similarity, and difference in the
representations of two (or more) Americas.
Note: there will be occasional in-class writing assignments, another name for
which might be pop quizes. Keep up with the reading!!
I. Colonial: Beasts and Bodies, Cannibals and Spirits. In the collision between
the cultures of Europe and the Americas, what forms of discourse were used to
describe the encounter? Although we tend to distinguish English from Spanish
colonial practices, are there connections we can find between these texts in
their portrayal of the native Americans?
Week 1: Introduction, Lecture on cultural collision in the Americas
Begin reading Shakespeare, William. The Tempest
Week 2: The Tempest
Week 3: Lecture on beginnings of Anthropology
Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar. Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America
Week 4: Lecture on Religion in the Americas
Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. A Sor Juana Anthology
II. Independence and Modernity: New Visions of Nations, Peoples, and Power. What
themes seem to connect Emerson and Sarmiento? Why the stress on eyes, sight,
seeing? How does Melville write into and out of this context of sight? How is
slavery articulated by these different authors? What ideas of race, racism, and
racialism can we identify? What issues separate Melville's and Mart¡'s work
from Emerson's and Sarmiento's? What is the role of the US in this change in
emphasis during this period?
Week 5: Lecture on the Enlightenment
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Selected essays.
Turn in proposals for short paper.
Week 6: Lecture on Latin American Independence
Sarmiento, Domingo F. Selections from Life in the Argentine Republic in the Days
of the Tyrants.
Week 7: Lecture on American Renaissance, Slavery
Melville, Herman. Benito Cereno
Short paper, 5-7 pages, due.
Week 8: Lecture on Slavery, Race, Racialism
DuBois, W.E.B. Souls of Black Folk
Week 9: Lecture on American Imperialism, relations with Cuba and Caribbean
Mart¡, Jose. Our America
Turn in proposals for research paper.
III. Imperialism and Modernism: Modern Borders of the Americas. Is the idea of
national borders different in these works? What is the sense of nation and
national identity? Has seeing been replaced by dreaming? By memory? How are
issues of class and race portrayed differently in this period? What happened to
the cannibals?
Week 10: Lecture on Modernity
Williams, William Carlos. In the American Grain
Week 11: Lecture on Boom period of Latin American Literature
Garc¡a Marquez, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude
Week 12: Garc¡a Marquez
Week 13: Lecture on return to Anthropology
Menchu, Rigoberta. I, Rigoberta Menchu: an Indian Woman in Guatemala
Reasearch papers due, 10-14 pages.
Week 14: Menchu
Wrap up
Assignments: three in-class writing assignments, one short paper, one research
paper.
Grades: in-class assignments (35%), short paper (15%), research paper (35%),
class participation (15%).
All readings will be in English.
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Comments or Suggestions? membry@unco.edu