ENGL 215-02, The Imperial idea in British Literature, Fall 2004

Abstract

“Empire” is a complex term, not least as it applies to that other complex entity, “Britain” (as opposed to the simpler idea of “England”, for instance). This course will focus on literary texts composed during the formation of both Britain and what came to be the British empire(s). We will examine the representation of empire; different attitudes to English dominance in the British Isles; different responses to the growth of English and British commercial dominance and territorial expansion; and both positive and negative evaluations of the imperial project. The course will end by considering some of the literature of the dissolution of Britain’s empire. An integral part of this course will be participation in a series of events – lectures, presentations, movies, discussions. Students enroll also in History 224 – British Empire and Commonwealth, also being offered in Fall 2004.