English 125A

Book List

Austen, J.: Persuasion; Beckford, W.: Vathek; Behn, A.: Oroonoko; Burney, F.: Evelina; Defoe, D.: Robinson Crusoe; Godwin, W.: Caleb Williams; Richardson, S.: Pamela; Scott, W.: Bride of Lammermoor; Smollett, T.: Humphry Clinker

Description

A survey of early fiction, much of which pretended to be anything but. Most was published anonymously and purported to be a true "History," "Expedition," or the like, about "Things as They Are." We will consider at the outset why these works so strenuously disavowed their status as romances or novels, and why they disguised themselves as they did.

This course satisfies the pre-1800 requirement for the English major.