LTA2078 Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know: Rebels and Anti-Heroes
Intermediate Liberal Arts
When Lady Caroline Lamb described her former lover, the poet Lord Byron, as _mad, bad, and dangerous to know, she vividly captured a widespread fascination with figures who reject society's norms. Simultaneously alluring and threatening, rebels and anti-heroes unsettle the outer limit of acceptable behavior through their transgressions. This course will examine how rebels and anti-heroes shape a society's identity while living at - or beyond - its margins. We will also pay particular attention to questions of gender when considering these figures' own identities. We will read novels, plays, poetry, and cultural critique in order to trace the development of rebels and anti-heroes in western literature, as well as to understand them in their specific cultural and historical contexts.
This course is typically offered in the following semesters: Spring
Prerequisites: RHT and AHS