ENG 357 - The Scientific Revolution in English Literature (3 cr.)

This course examines the way that the seventeenth-century’s new technologies of science both influenced and were influenced by literary developments. These technologies–particularly optical lenses, but also air pumps, and chemical and anatomical advances–provided new ways of conceiving both the universe and humanity. They were immediately put to use as political metaphors on the stage, as religious analogies in sermons, and in narrative technique in fiction. Studying their influence on literature of the period also helps us see more clearly the moral and religious concern these technologies sparked–concern that has only intensified today as additional technologies continue to challenge our understanding of ourselves and our place in an increasingly complex world.
Prerequisite(s): ENG 101
Semester(s) Offered: Varies