Depression exists across a spectrum from prolonged sadness triggered by a personal tragedy to a chronic debilitating condition often recalcitrant to medical intervention. This phenomenon will be viewed through the lens of literature.? The course will be devoted to fictional works, essays, and personal memoirs that are descriptive of depression by writers as diverse as Leo Tolstoy (My Confession), William Styron (Darkness Visible), Kate Millett (The Loony-Bin Trip), Dick Cavett, Daphne Merkin, and David Foster Wallace. Note: Suggested reading: Leo Tolstoy, My Confession; Kate Millett, The Loony-Bin Trip; William Styron, Darkness Visible
