ENGL 4953: 18th Century Literature

3(6) Semester Credit Hours . 0-3-3(6) Prerequisite This 3-credit course will be open to any student who has taken ENGL 2103, ENGL 2113, ENGL 2123, ENGL 2133, ENGL 2143, or ENGL 2153, and by permission of instructor. The literature of the 18^th century is stereotypically characterized as a body of work that represents the emergence of Enlightenment philosophy along with the logical, unified, and intellectual man of reason. Alongside the narrative of rational human progress, a civic discourse emerged that questioned the moral responsibility of “Enlightened” society. While many writers of this time period congratulate themselves on the intellectual and moral advancement of the period, our class will call into question this narrative of rational human progress. Who benefits from these intellectual reforms/advancements and who is forgotten/marginalized? The time period is marked by its idealization of rationality and empiricism. Our job will be to question just how rational the times actually were.