Introduction to World Literatures: Literature of Exploration

Stories of travel and exploration—whether fiction or nonfiction—have been important parts of the literature of most of the world’s cultures. In this course, we’ll explore some of that writing, beginning with Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, perhaps the first great work of travel writing in the Western tradition, and ending with Blue Highways by Columbia native William Least Heat-Moon. In between we’ll consider literature of exploration written by Arab and Japanese writers when Europe was still in the Middle Ages, as well as two important works from the eighteenth century: Jonathan Swift’s fictional Gulliver’s Travels and the African Olaudah Equiano’s account of his life before, during, and after his enslavement.

While students will write a short paper for the class, the bulk of your grade will be based on reading and participation as gauged by reading quizzes, participation in discussion, and in-class writing.