ENGL 40136 - Monstrous Mothers of Literature

Institution:

University of Notre Dame

Subject:

English

Description:

Images of terrible, horrifying mothers have long abounded in literature and have dominated media portrayals of motherhood for decades. Consider the mothers in Matilda or Coraline, or real-life examples like Nadya Suleman (the infamous Octomom) or Michelle Duggar: not only do a multitude of examples of "bad" mothering exist, but women's attempts to mother are also scrutinized in excruciating detail. In this course, we will read a selection of texts (novels, plays, poems), ranging from Greek tragedies and Beowulf to 20th-century poetry and novels to interrogate the literary use of maternal motifs. What purpose is served by making a fictional mother monstrous? What literary effect is created? We will examine contemporary American culture (magazines, blogs, movies) to theorize possible impacts on the role of the modern mother, as well as the implications for American masculinity. What does it say about society that these images are so popular? And what is the connection between a woman's reproductive power and the urge to label her "monstrous?"

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nd.edu

Phone Number:

(574) 631-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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