Journeys and Emancipations

(4 Credits)

Journey narratives have been a staple of literature since antiquity. Whether in epics or myths, letters or journals, the journey has served as a metaphor for both the passage of time as well as different levels of consciousness. It has symbolized the search for meaning and expressed cultural values. This course invites students to reassess the critical importance of the journey - both literal and metaphorical - to the human experience through an examination of the journeys of literary characters, capital, and ideas. Moreover, through an examination of the stories of migrants, travelers, combatants, and prisoners, it will nurture an appreciation for how texts can represent multiple journeys within narratives of imprisonment, emancipation, and self-discovery.