Gender, Sexuality, and Violence in Late Imperial Chinese Narrative
ALIT 210
Spring 2008
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
FGSS 214, EAST 212 |
This course will explore the literary representation of gender, sexuality, and violence across a diverse range of narrative genres during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1644, 1644-1911), with a balanced emphasis on aesthetic qualities and sociocultural contexts. Topics include the construction of femininity and masculinity, hetero-, homo-, and bisexuality, gender and power, gender and literacy, gender-based violence, sworn brotherhood and sisterhood, the cult of female chastity and footbinding, crossdressing and impersonation of the opposite sex, prostitution and courtesan culture, adultery and polygamy, the dichotomy of YU (physical desire) and QING (sublime passion), images of the female and the male body. Readings include narrative verse, women's scripts, (auto)biographies and memoirs, literary jottings and essays, tales of the strange, vernacular short stories, drama, and novels (selections). |
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Essential Capabilities:
Intercultural Literacy, Interpretation
Students will read major works of Ming-Qing narrative literature along with some precursor texts selected from the Chinese tradition. They will learn to analyze how different language registers (literary, vernacular, poetic, prose, elegant, ribald, didactic, humorous) impact the representation of gender, sexuality and physical violence.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA AL&L |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (FGSS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Feng Menglong ed., THE THREE WORDS (Sanyan)
Tang Xianzu, THE PEONY PAVILION (Mudan ting)
OUTLAWS OF THE MARSH (Shuihu zhuan)
THE PLUM IN THE GOLDEN VASE (Jin ping mei)
Li Yu, SILENT OPERAS (Wusheng xi)
Pu Songling, STRANGE TALES FROM MAKE-DO STUDIO (Liaozhai zhiyi)
Wu Jingzi, THE SCHOLARS (Rulin waishi)
Cao Xueqin, THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER (Honglou meng)
Shen Fu, SIX RECORDS OF A FLOATING LIFE (Fusheng liuji)
Li Ruzhen, THE ROMANCE OF THE FLOWERS IN THE MIRROR (Jing hua yuan)
Additional film screenings (TBA)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Oral presentations (5-10 min.), three short response papers (2 pp. each), mid-term paper (4-5 pp.), and final paper (9-10 pp.). |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
All readings in translation; no knowledge of Chinese language required. |
| Instructor(s): Huang,Hongyu Times: ..T.R.. 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK314; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 20 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 12 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 2 | FR: 2 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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