USSO 285V - Travel Literature in the Age of Discovery

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

The discovery of the Americas in the 15th century challenged European constructions of the known world and tested assumptions about nature, culture, and the workings of intellectual inquiry. Although before 1492 Europeans traveled, they usually read new landscapes in light of familiar religious paradigms. The discoveries forced Europeans to draw the world anew, literally and metaphorically. Students will read works of travel fiction and real-life travelers' tales, and will address the following questions: how did travel literature reflect successive discoveries? What new maps (geographical or metaphorical) did this literature help draw? How did the discoveries bear on literary genres? After a brief foray into medieval literature, students will read The Tempest, Oroonoko, excerpts from The Persian Letters, excerpts from Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, Candide, and A Sentimental Journey. Additionally, students will read brief accounts of actual travels. Students will write three papers and prepare presentations on topics such as pilgrimage routes, map making, the search for longitude, and America in the visual arts. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSSO, FSCC, FSNA, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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