Module 1: Setting the Stage: Literature for a New Nation

In this first module, we will focus on ideas that concerned the writers during this time period, such as how American literature is distinct from European literature, what makes a model American citizen, and how the troubling issue of slavery should be addressed. We will also discuss how the writers saw themselves as part of a new nation still under construction, and as spokespeople for a multi-national audience examining this new nation. Additionally, the continued relevance of these works is examined. Close reading and understanding of social, cultural, and historical contexts from the basis of your work in this module and throughout the rest of the course.