Variable content course which examines the representation of women and the literature created by English, American, or other countries' women writers. This course has been offered with many specific topics combining biography and literary texts; neglected masterpieces of American literature by black and white women; woman as hero/woman as heroine; the questions of love, marriage, and vocation for women from 1850 to 1940 and other thematic motifs of 20th and 21st century women's literature. Note: Formerly known as Women in Literature WMST 2197 and ENG 2197. Students may earn up to 6 credits of coursework taken from the following courses: ENG 2160, ENG 2197, GSWS 2160, WMST 2160, WMST 2197.

In Rome, this course focuses on Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most revered Italian artists of the seventeenth century. Her paintings are more impressive when we consider the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated profession. Interest in Artemisia has gained momentum over time as she has shown, in her own words, “what a woman can do”, making her an ideal subject for narratives on women, art, and society. The course makes use of Artemisia’s paintings as well as the strong literature analysis of her life and work. Students learn to critically assess these analyses and to construct a personal perspective on the role of critical literature and gender.