Thursday, November 19, 2009

Day 8 of Thanksgiving (in which I need your help!)

Today I am thankful for literature. And, for affordable community college classes.

I'm trying to decide which class to take in January. Help me choose! Do I go for:

Early Literature, up through Milton: Chaucer, Milton, etc. Interesting, but perhaps a little too arcane to really get me excited for the first lit class I've taken in over 12 years.

Late 17th-mid 19th century: Pope, Blake, Wordsworth, Brontes, Dickens, Austen, Whitman, selected others. I'm tempted by this one because I love this era. What is not to love about this lineup? Hello?!? Dickens and Austen and the Brontes?

Mid 19th-20th Century: Wilde, Shaw, James, Woolf, Joyce, Faulkner, Eliot, Hurston, selected others. Also tempting for the strong writing, and I've always meant to read Faulkner (and I love T.S. Eliot). Fascinating authors and really engrossing books...

Thoughts? It's just an undergrad class so I'm hoping to completely enjoy myself. I'd like to do some good writing so I have something to show, should I apply for the MA in the fall. I'm thinking perhaps I should go for the Bronte-Dickens-Austen-Whitman uber-tempting lineup. That sounds like a complete indulgence: reading these books as HOMEWORK. "Sorry, can't do dishes, I HAVE TO READ WUTHERING HEIGHTS."

Bonus: will have to purchase these books for notations, right? Right. Perfect excuse to break my ban on book-buying. :)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

i have to put my vote in the Late 17th-mid 19th century category but i admit my motives are purely selfish. being the plebeian that i am, i never understand those brontes and their fancy language and i hope you'll share any notes from class with me.

Daphne said...

I'm kind of leaning that way... and yes of course I would share any and all notes!

Kate said...

Torn between late 17th-mid-19th and late 19th-early 20th. Pope/Blake/Wordsworth turns me off though the others are great, but I have read or would like to read everyone you listed on the 19th-20th range. Man, I want to read for homework too. I was just telling Jeff the other day that I wanted a job that consisted solely of reading. (Reading a creepyish book called Awakening by SJ Bolton I think you might like, btw.)

Daphne said...

Ooh, do tell. And yes, I want that job too.

Theresa said...

I'd have to put my vote for one of the last two. Wilde is my favorite btw, so I'd probably choose that one if I were in your position. LOL

Stefanie said...

I already put my 2 cents in on FB, but I'll do it again, Austen and Brontes all the way!

Lesley said...

I have taken courses in all three and my pick would definitely be the late 17th to early 19th century. One of my favorite courses was an entire semester devoted to the Brontes - it was heaven!

Daphne said...

Thanks, everyone! Brontes it is. As soon as I can figure out how to register for it...