Comparative Literature

Curriculum

Comparative literary study crosses the borders of individual national canons to explore works from different languages, cultures, and periods. This may involve analyses of the relationships between literature and other artistic media, studies of genre, or reflections on different kinds of reading and interpretation. It may also take the form of interdisciplinary research grounded in connections between literary studies and other disciplines in the humanities or the social sciences.

By the end of the sophomore year, each comparative literature major will develop an individual plan of coursework in consultation with a member of the faculty committee overseeing the program. This can take one of two forms:

The student selects a group of eight courses in the Division of Literature and Languages that facilitate the study of a particular theoretical or historical problem (e.g., the concept of translation or the relationship between Enlightenment and romantic understandings of poetry) or that focus on a subject best explored through the juxtaposition of two or more national canons (e.g., the twentieth-century realist novel in Latin America and the United States).
The student designs an interdisciplinary track that includes at least six literature courses in the Division of Literature and Languages and three or more courses in an allied field. This could mean a group of classes from a standing department (e.g., anthropology, art history, history, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, religion, or theatre), or it could involve several courses from different departments united by a common concern or line of inquiry (e.g., work in film studies, Jewish studies, or women’s studies).

All majors must pass a junior qualifying exam before starting the thesis. This exam will be tailored to each student’s area of study.

The comparative literature program is overseen by a faculty committee.

Programs

Majors

Comparative Literature

Courses

Comparative Literature Course List