The Underground: Myth, Metaphor, Fiction, 5 cr

This course explores the significance of the subterranean in the cultural imaginary. From mythic underworlds to tombs, mines, and urban tunnels such as sewers and subways, spaces under the surface feature prominently in narratives of all ages. Through a range of literary and other texts, we will investigate the lasting impact of nether worlds on the collective imagination, the pervasive metaphor of the underground, and the extent to which human history is the history of carving and penetrating the earth. While the main focus will be on examples involving (textual mediations of) the physical underground, we will also take note of the presence of the rhetorical underground in different cultural and societal realms. Assessment will be by class participation and a final essay.