ENGL 2080 builds on ENGL 1080 in a variety of ways.  Students will read prose, poetry and drama from the literatures of Great Britain and the United States.  A great deal of emphasis will be placed on developing the close reading skills required for building persuasive arguments about verse, narrative and performance.  At the same time, the course aims to develop student's critical repertoire by heightening their sensitivity to the historical, material and cultural factors which impinge on literary production.  This will be achieved both through direct primary analysis and through close interaction with critical essays about course texts.  In addition, the course will offer a brief survey of important theoretical concerns for literary scholars.