LALW301 Monster Madness 3 cr.

Of course, we will be rounding up the usual suspects: the appalling and tragic monster and his equally appalling and tragic creator, the charismatic vampire and his bevy of vamps; a commonplace fellow who wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect. But, more broadly, we will examine the idea of the monstrous, the shadow side of human nature and human experience that we refuse to acknowledge as our own. In addition to physical monsters, we will encounter monstrous actions (incest, murder, cannibalism), monstrous thoughts, and monstrous transformations of the soul. Our syllabus includes: “Frankenstein,”” Dracula,” Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” John Ford’s “Tis Pity She’s A Whore,” and John Gardner’s “Grendel.”

Prerequisites: LALW200

Lecture/Seminar
Culturally Diverse Content
All College Elective