Literature

Choose for your course

For a survey course, choose an anthology that matches its language, period and genres. For a seminar, the assigned primary text and edition matter more. Literary theory is useful when it helps you ask sharper questions of a work; it should not replace reading the work itself.

Suggested reading approach

1. Annotate recurring images, voice, structure and changes in tone. Build a claim from specific passages rather than starting with a theme and forcing every detail to fit.
2. When comparing translations or editions, note what changed and which text your course cites. Keep historical context separate from what the words on the page actually support.