Courses

(Seminar). Not well-known is the fact that in the mid-sixties James Baldwin hung a photograph of Henry James above his writing desk, a kind of tribute to the novelist whose writings about the "complex fate' of being an American in Europe deeply influenced Baldwin. The Portrait of a Lady and The Ambassadors were treasured books for Baldwin, who occasionally lectured about them to college audiences. This seminar will examine this initially improbable literary kinship between these two great artists, exploring how a shared commitment to a literary art of complexity and multiple identity, to cultural critique and analysis (Baldwin greatly admired James's The American Scene, his on the ground evocation of early 20th century America) produced such distinctly different bodies of vital work. Baldwin's essays and his novel Another Country will be discussed, as well as the James texts mentioned above. Application instructions: E-mail Professor Ross Posnock ([email protected]) with the subject heading "James and Baldwin seminar." In your message, include basic information: your name, school, major, year of study, and relevant courses taken, along with a brief statement about why you are interested in taking the course.