English 207 – Reading Popular Literature “Frankenstein and the Horror Genre”

Fall 2018, TR 12:30-1:45

Dr. Michael Page

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein. Frankenstein’s cultural legacy, especially over the last 100 years, is, perhaps, the most significant of any work of literature. The novel is, at once, the foundational text of the science fiction genre and the beginning point for the modern tale of horror. This introductory course will trace the development of the horror genre starting with Frankenstein, through important works of 19th and early 20th century horror, including stories by Edgar Allan Poe, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Algernon Blackwood, and others, and the iconic horror novels Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Dracula, and The Phantom of the Opera. From there, we will consider the “horror boom” of the 1970s/80s, through works by such authors as Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, Ira Levin, and Clive Barker. We’ll conclude with a sampling of contemporary horror stories and (if I can fit it in) John Kessel’s new mashup of Frankenstein and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prometheus.

Teaching Method: Mostly lecture and presentation with interactive class discussion

Assignments: Daily question cards, in class midterm essay, novel analysis, individual reading paper, final exam.

Tentative Reading List: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau; Bram Stoker, Dracula; Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera; short stories online and/or an anthology; contemporary horror novels and/or stories by Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, Ira Levin, Clive Barker, or others. John Kessel, Pride and Prometheus.