ENG 378 - The Novel of Self Development

Originally developed in German literature, the novel of self-development or Bildungsroman depicts an adolescent male who eventually acquires a philosophy of life based on his conscious effort to gain personal culture. This course investigates the changes the idea of Bildung underwent at the hands of various authors in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in their adaptation of the original form, including the revision of selfhood to address the Bildung as a female as well as a male province. Works to be considered may include Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Dickens’ David Copperfield, Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

Prerequisite(s):
Co-requisite(s):
Credits: 3

Course Typically Offered: Variable
Course Type: English