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CS92PROD
Gender, Sexuality, and Violence in Late Imperial Chinese Narrative
ALIT 210
Spring 2008
Section: 01  
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).

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.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA AL&L
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (FGSS)
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on APR-27-2024
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