The Ekphrastic Mode in Contemporary Literature

Ekphrasis – the extended description of a visual work of art in a work of literature – is as old as Homer and as modern as McEwan; however, in contemporary literary criticism the concept has been eclipsed by terms such as "self-reflexivity" and "metafiction." This course proposes a rediscovery of ekphrasis as a key feature of contemporary works of literature and film. Includes texts by Sebald, Alan Bennett, Godard, Starnone, Panahi, McEwan. Enrollment limited to 20. Not open to first year students.