Popular Literature: Besties: Literary Duos

Oftentimes, it takes two to make a thing go right… Well, at least in literature. Entire narrative worlds have been constructed around compelling pairs—their similarities and differences creating tensions that keeps us riveted. What has attracted us to dynamic duos over centuries? In this course we’ll trace unlikely friendships through literature, from Don Quixote and Sancho Panza to Doc Brown and Marty McFly, Rick and Morty; from Sherlock Holmes and Watson to Batman and Robin, Frodo and Samwise. We’ll look at novel-length work and short stories, manga, comic books, and film. We'll ask ourselves what two people tied together by adventure might teach us about our shared human experience.