COMP 365
Fanaticism Fall 2015
Division I
Cross-listed ENGL 355
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Eighteenth and nineteenth-century writers of literature and political philosophy repudiate fanaticism–over and over again. Whether as a religious, political or amorous posture, fanaticism is universally decried and never avowed. But what is fanaticism, and why should it be considered such a threat, particularly during a period that embraced an enlightened secular rationalism? In this course, we will explore these questions by considering literary texts that dramatize fanaticism in light of accounts by philosophers and historians. Readings will include novels by M. Shelley, Hogg, Dickens, Eliot, Conrad, and Atwood, and political philosophy and historical writings by Voltaire, Kant, Diderot, Hume, Burke, Carlyle, Mill, and Adorno. We will also watch films by Riefenstahl, Hitchcock and Pontecorvo, and look at paintings, drawings and sculpture by Fragonard, Goya, and Shibonare. Since fanaticism has recently had considerable political currency, we will also examine some contemporary accounts that reanimate the debates and concerns of the course..
The Class: Format: seminar
Limit: 25
Expected: 20
Class#: 1335
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: two 8- to 10-page papers
Prerequisites: a 100-level ENGL course, or a score of 5 on the AP English Literature exam, or a score of 6 or 7 on the Higher Level IB English exam
Enrollment Preferences: English majors
Distributions: Division I
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
COMP 365 Division I ENGL 355 Division I
Attributes: ENGL Criticism Courses
ENGL Literary Histories B

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