21L.012 Forms of Western Narrative

Prereq: none
Units: 3-0-9 HASS-H, CI-H

How has “the West” been formed by narratives and shaped narrative forms? How do various media—from the epic, to cinema, and networked environments—shape our perceptions of time, space, and ourselves? In this course, we address these questions across major narrative genres of the Western canon. We will also engage seminal theories of history, time, and identity—examining how they have structured and sought to critique Western narratives. Particular emphasis will be placed on analyzing how historical developments of media technologies have afforded novel configurations of identity and self-narration.