Readings in key texts representing the dramatic transformation of England and its American colonies from absolute monarchy to the emergence of a modern constitutional state. The course examines poetry by Spenser, Milton, and Bradstreet, philosophical essays by Hobbes and Locke, and narratives by Rowlandson and Franklin in the context of the Puritan Revolt, the Glorious Revolution, and King Philip’s War. Emphasis on critical reading of texts relevant to the construction of racial, sexual, and religious identities in an era of conflicting ideals.

For majors who declared in Fall 2023 or later, this course fulfills the following historical requirement for the English major:
Literatures & Cultures, 1500-1700