ENH2340

Literature and the Christian tradition

(ART)

Philip Ayres

6 points + 2 hours per week + Second semester + Clayton + Prerequisites: A first-year sequence in English

Synopsis: This subject explores a diverse range of major English literature, both poetry and fiction, over four centuries, all of it reflecting the dominant religious impulse of the West. The chosen texts embody a breadth of religious experience from Catholic through Anglican to the Calvinist and Arminian strands of Puritanism. Attention will be given to the ways in which several of the selected texts turn upon issues of intense theological controversy, locating themselves within the field of a dynamic, contested tradition.

Assessment: Essay (2000 words): 50% + one class project (1500 words): 30% + a one-hour examination: 20%