NLIT
3400

The Intimate Epic: Novellas Classic and Modern

Schools of Public Engagement: Humanities

Liberal Arts
Undergraduate Course
Degree Students
Novellas Classic and Modern
Summer 2023
Taught By: Margaret Boe Birns
Section: A

CRN: 3166

Credits: 3

Sometimes called “the intimate epic,” The novella is one of the richest and most rewarding of literary forms, providing both the concentrated focus of the short story and the broad scope of the novel. This course explores important short novels or novellas both classic and modern, with authors ranging from Brazil to Dublin, Korea, Russia, Austria, Chile and upstate New York. These stories will feature a variety of situations and people, including, a penniless princess, a monstrous insect, and a post office girl as well as fugitives, heroes, villains, nature gods, a superstar, an Irish ghost, a vegetarian and the “extremely online.” We will discuss novellas within their historical, political, social and literary contexts as well as their growing relevance for the 21st Century. Readings: Ivan Turgenev, First Love; James Joyce, The Dead; Franz Kafka, Metamorphosis; Stefan Zweig, The Post-Office Girl; Clarice Lispector, The Hour of the Star; Toni Morrison, A Mercy; Han Kang, The Vegetarian; Patricia Lockwood, No One is Talking About This.

College: Schools of Public Engagement (NS)

Department: Humanities (NHUM)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: Online - Asynchronous

Max Enrollment: 18

Add/Drop Deadline: June 13, 2023 (Tuesday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: July 21, 2023 (Friday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Open*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 9:16am EDT 5/29/2023

Meeting Info:
Building: Online Course
Room: 999
Date Range: 6/5/2023 - 8/6/2023