Gothic Literature and Visual Culture – ENG 3407

3 credits, 3 hours

Prerequisites: ENG 1121 or any 2000-level literature course (AFR, ENG, PRS)

The purpose of this course is to gain a better understanding of the popular genre of the Gothic as it was developed and practiced in the late-eighteenth century and through to today in a variety of cultural contexts. An important foundation to this class is the idea that the Gothic is more than simply mysterious or strange; it is a transgressive and provocative sort of strange.

The course will focus on key concepts such as horror, haunting, madness, monsters, and the undead, concepts that serve as entry points to theories such as the uncanny, queerness, and the sublime. Students will critically read, analyze, and write about the ways that the Gothic questions what it means to be normal or accepted. The class will learn about and practice using tools for reading, interpreting, and critically responding to fiction, film, poetry, and other cultural manifestations of the Gothic. In addition, students will participate in conversations about contemporary American identities and also engage in experiential learning through field trips to Gothic architectural spaces.

General Education Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view.
  • Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically.
  • Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions.

Pathways Learning Outcomes: Creative Expression

A student will:

  • Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and methods of a discipline or interdisciplinary field exploring creative expression, including, but not limited to, arts, communications, creative writing, media arts, music, and theater.
  • Analyze how arts from diverse cultures of the past serve as a foundation for those of the present, and describe the significance of works of art in the societies that created them.
  • Articulate how meaning is created in the arts or communications and how experience is interpreted and conveyed.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the skills involved in the creative process.
  • Use appropriate technologies to conduct research and to communicate.

Course – Specific Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to

  • Identify and explain the various features and subtleties associated with Gothic Literature in the primarily Romantic and Victorian traditions, in both Great Britain and the United States.
  • Analyze and synthesize the common tropes typically associated with Gothic Literature as well as their parodies.
  • Recognize and identify the role of architecture and setting as primary modes in the genre.
  • Articulate the influence of Gothic Literature and rhetoric in popular culture fiction and film.
  • Appreciate the relationship between the Gothic and the uncanny as it has played out historically as well as how it is discussed in contemporary American culture.
  • Apply Gothic frames of reference to complicate and better understand differences in identities, ethnicities, and sexualities.
  • Identify the basic similarities and differences among the major media types that feature Gothic representations such as film, television, poetry, fiction, and graphic novels.
  • Develop a vocabulary that consists of key terms such as the sublime, the romantic, the fantastic, and the grotesque in order to describe the Gothic effectively in the context of academic writing and class discussion.
  • Draft and revise for content, organization, style, clarity, and emphasis.
  • Work with peers to research and present material in a variety of situations, both oral and written.
  • Gather, interpret, and evaluate sources for research essays on Gothic literature and visual culture.

Assessment Methods

  • Reading and discussion will be measured through grading of discussion question responses and oral participation.
  • Written analysis of texts will be measured through grading of essays.
  • Knowledge of texts will be measured through quizzes and exams.

Covid-19 Student Conduct Protocol:

The City University of New York takes the well-being and safety of our students, faculty and staff very seriously. During the pandemic, we all have an obligation to behave in a responsible manner to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Responsible behavior extends to our off-campus and personal lives, which can affect your ability to transmit the virus on campus, including at a minimum.

Article XV of the CUNY bylaws requires that each student obey policies, regulations, and orders of the University/College. Students are reminded that the Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public order pursuant to article 129a of the education law (“Henderson Rules”) prohibits:

  • behaviors that recklessly or intentionally endangers the health of others
  • behavior that interferes with the institution’s educational processes.
  • failure to comply with the direction of a University official

The University is committed to adhering fully to current and future directives about social encounters from the federal, state and local public health officials. Any student found in violation of these directives may be subject to discipline under article xv of the CUNY bylaws.

Accessibility Statement:

City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies, and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, you can leave a voicemail at 718-260-5143, send an email to:  Accessibility@citytech.cuny.edu, or visit the Center’s website at  http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/ for more information. 

Academic Integrity:

Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.[9] 

Diversity Policies:

City Tech Diversity and Inclusive Education Syllabus Statement:

This course welcomes students from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. In accordance with the City Tech and CUNY missions, this course intends to provide an atmosphere of inclusion, respect, and the mutual appreciation of differences so that together we can create an environment in which all students can flourish. It is the instructor’s goal to provide materials and activities that are welcoming and accommodating of diversity in all of its forms, including race, gender identity and presentation, ethnicity, national origin, religion, cultural identity, socioeconomic background, sexuality and sexual orientation, ability, neurodivergence, age, and etc. Your instructor is committed to equity and actively seeks ways to challenge institutional racism, sexism, ableism and other forms of prejudice. Your input is encouraged and appreciated. If a dynamic that you observe or experience in the course concerns you, you may respectfully inform your instructor without fear of how your concerns will affect your grade.  Let your instructor know how to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally, or for other students or student groups. We acknowledge that NYCCT is located on the traditional homelands of the Canarsie and Lenape peoples.