ENG2334 – American Literature in the Fifties and Sixties

Course content

This course focuses on American literature during a very exciting time of transition, the period between 1950 and 1970. These were decades characterized by contradiction: prosperity and inequality, consumerist complacency and fear of nuclear holocaust, the civil rights movement and the war on Vietnam.

American literature responded to these contradictions with an intense burst of creativity and self-transformation  The period is rich with new literary voices,  new ways of approaching traditional forms, and the emergence of new perspectives and traditions.

We will focus on three of the period’s major literary trends: the counter-cultural movement of jazz-inflected “Beat” poetry, the emergence of postwar African American literature as a major voice in American culture, and the beginnings of a new phase in literature that interrogates American culture from a feminist or womanist perspective. We will consider how the texts on the syllabus fit into their historical and cultural moment, but more importantly, we will consider the lasting impact of these texts and the ways in which they help us think about our contemporary situation.

Learning outcome

After completing this course you will have:

  • developed a broad insight into the literary and ideological landscape that dominated American culture in the fifties and sixties, through the discussion of a set of representative and challenging texts.
  • developed your critical reading and writing skills through individual and group work.

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Prerequisites

Recommended previous knowledge

It will be an advantage for the students if they have taken ENG1304 – American Literature, the survey course in American literature, but this is not a requirement. The course assumes a good proficiency in written and oral English.