ENGL 131Weird Tales: Literature of Horror and the Supernatural

3 credits · English · Penn State

This course surveys the long tradition of literature that depicts the intrusion of supernatural forces into social order. The fantastic or horrific elements of these tales might be their best-known traits, but such literature can also express social desires and fears, as well as ruminate on personal and political history. The supernatural, in other words, works to reveal those individuals and institutions that face it. This course explores a range of horror writing, investigating issues raised by individual texts and considering possible connections between them.