EN 310 - Genres

4.00 credits.

In literary studies, “genre” can signify several different concepts. Generally speaking, it defines the three modes of literary expression: prose, poetry, and drama. In particular relation to prose, it can signify “types” of writing (autobiography, creative non-fiction, etc.), or the mode in which the prose is delivered (e.g., novella, pamphlet, journal, letter). Where poetry is concerned, “genre” traditionally relates to the work’s length and its narrative voice, the three traditional genres being the lyric, the epic, and the dramatic. This course explores “genres” in one or more ways, depending upon the interests and specializations of the instructor: past offerings have included “Travel Writing,” “Autobiography,” and “Narrative Cinema.” For a description of the content covered in this course during a particular semester, see the English Department’s website.