ENG 22600 Gender Roles in Literature

This course examines how authors throughout history and across cultures have used imaginative literature not only to portray the roles of men and women in society, but also to call attention to the boundaries of those roles. The course texts raise questions such as: What is biological sex, and how does it differ from gender? What does it mean to be male, to be female, and to be intersex? How do we define “masculinity” and “femininity”? Through reading and discussion, students will explore the ideological roots that inform these texts while simultaneously connecting their themes to contemporary life and society.