Document Type
Syllabus
Publication Date
Fall 9-1-2024
Course Description
Associated with the “closet” and once called “the love that dare not speak its name,” queer sexuality has a long history of being thought of as something that cannot or refuses to be represented. Yet, ever since the term “homosexuality” was coined in the late 19th century, writers and artists have explored how to depict queer desire for the purposes of both self-expression and community building. This course will examine these depictions, paying particular attention to the connections between how queerness has been represented and developments in queer social history in the US and UK from the 1890s through today. The first unit, “Foundational Representations,” will begin with the writing of the so-called “first modern homosexual,” Oscar Wilde, before focusing on the arts and literature of the two capitals of early gay culture, Bloomsbury in London and Harlem in New York. Later units will consider the coded ways queer desire was depicted during the conservative backlash of the mid-20th century, from Hollywood comedy to the elite art world; how writers and filmmakers imagined queer history after the rise of Gay Liberation in the 1970s; and finally, the recent proliferation of queer coming-of-age stories among the shortlists for prestigious literary and film awards. In addition to introducing students to important works of queer culture and history of sexuality in the US and UK from the late 19th century to the present, this course will also introduce students to skills that will set you up for success in future courses at DePauw, such as reading carefully, thinking critically, speaking thoughtfully, and analyzing rigorously. This course will also introduce you to the foundations of college writing, especially how to develop attentive observations about course materials that you can develop into argument-driven essays.
Recommended Citation
Wiet, Victoria, "ENG 197G FYS: Queer Representation Wiet Fall 2024" (2024). All Course Syllabi. 663, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/records_syllabi/663
Student Outcomes
By the end of this course, students you will be able to: Recognize common stylistic and narrative techniques that novelists, poets, playwrights, visual artists, and filmmakers use in order to produce meaning, with a focus on how these techniques portray queer desire and community building; Explain major trends in the social and cultural history of the US and UK in the past 125 years, with a focus on the regulation of sexuality; Integrate your knowledge of literary and aesthetic devices and historical context by interpreting what perspective on identity formation and community building that authors, artists, and filmmakers present; Demonstrate your acquisition of this knowledge by composing essays that showcase your growing understanding of the conventions of academic writing, including analysis, organization, and integrating outside sources.