An epic is a “supreme fiction.” This final course in the history of Epic will survey some of the most deeply thoughtful fictions of modern times, from the Romantic era to the present -- writers like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, Kafka and Italo Calvino, Alice Munro and Ursula LeGuin, Julian Barnes and Zadie Smith. It will include a brief reading from each writer to encourage discussion. A syllabus with a few synopses will be sent in advance for anyone who likes to explore.
