We read works by some of the major exponents of this philosophy and compare their views with those expressed by some conventional, more optimistic playwrights. Representative authors include Albee, Beckett, Camus, Eliot, Genet, Ibsen, Ionesco, Pinter, and Stoppard. Using primarily Irish literature, but also films, music, and art, we will explore the poetry, drama, and prose of those writers who not only shaped the soul of a nation but also deeply influenced the content and character of American and British literature for the rest of the century. Authors will include William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, John Millington Synge, Sean O'Casey, Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, and Edna O'Brien. A systematic approach to enlarging vocabulary, this course studies the origins of words and expressions, the interesting stories behind many of them, the major roots and affixes, and the processes of word formation.
Students have daily exercises in word analysis, word building, and proper diction and style.
They also write personal and expository papers. This course satisfies the English requirement. Interdisciplinary Courses Interdisciplinary courses offer students the opportunity to experience courses specifically designed to incorporate subject matter from two or more disciplines.