ENG 211

This course is designed to introduce students to a history of English Literature through snapshots of historical and contemporary developments in the technology and impact of the book. It focuses on three aspects of the book’s history and its prospects: the evolution of media, from bound leaves of parchment or paper, to contemporary e-books and web pages; the relationship between the medium of expression and literary expression; and the relationships between the history of the book and the culture of digital texts. In the process, we will explore medieval scriptoria; the invention and impact of the Gutenberg printing press; the impact of mass-produced books and of digital texts; and the relationships between media and literature.