SENG 3520: Studies in World Literature
“Global Gothic Literature”
This course introduces students to the critical study of contemporary Gothic fiction in a global context. We will explore how different literatures define the Gothic and explore relevant regional folklore such as the hungry ghost in Chinese and Vietnamese traditions, the yūrei ghosts in Japan, and the draugr, or the undead, in Scandinavian traditions. We will also explore how writers use the Gothic genre to confront and address personal, political, social, historical, and cultural anxieties and traumas. The course is organized around thematic units that will help us link texts and traditions together, while also studying their unique attributes and idiosyncrasies. We will read works from over 20 countries and translated into English from over 15 languages. Many of these works have only been translated into English in the past five years. Students will leave the course with an appreciation and understanding of Gothic literature beyond the haunted houses and graveyards of American and British literature and with the critical skills to identify Gothic literature traditions from around the world.
