Waiyee Loh
Associate Professor of World Literature
Introduction to World Literature
(AY 2026/2027, Spring/Fall Semester)
Week 1. Introduction
Why study Literature?
What is World Literature?
COLONIAL TEXTS
Week 2. Historical context
The 1886 Colonial and Indian Exhibition
Week 3. Understanding the poem
Reading: Tennyson, "Opening of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition by the Queen"
Week 4. "Britain's myriad voices call": Polyphonic empire
Reading: Tennyson, "Opening of the Indian and Colonial Exhibition by the Queen"
Week 5. Natives and Sahibs
Reading: Trevelyan, "An Indian Railway"
Week 6. The "civilizing mission"
Reading: Trevelyan, "The Gulf Between Us"
POSTCOLONIAL RESPONSES
Week 7. The postcolonial politics of language
Take-home written assignment due
Week 8. Historical context
Indian independence movements
Week 9. Assignment feedback and writing workshop
Week 10. History, nation, and narration: National allegory
Reading: extracts from Rushdie, Midnight's Children (Extracts 1 and 2)
Week 11. History, nation, and narration: Polyphonic empire
Reading: extracts from Rushdie, Midnight's Children (Extract 3)
Week 12. 1947 Partition of India
Reading: extracts from Rushdie, Midnight's Children (Extract 3)
Week 13. Conclusion
In-class writing test
Week 14. In-class writing test feedback
Student consultation sessions