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Course Information

ENGL 380 - Espionage in Literature & Film

Institution:
The Citadel
Subject:
English
Description:
This course will study the immensely popular literary genre of espionage fiction, which has captivated world audiences for much of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We will examine depictions of espionage from the earliest times to the present, focusing in particular on novels and films from the Cold War period. We will seek to account for why espionage literature became so popular and what its greatest works offered readers of their own time and what they continue to offer readers of today. Among the questions our class will ask of these works are: What are the essential elements of espionage literature as a genre? What is the precise appeal of these sorts of stories, novels and films? Why did they rise so quickly in popularity after World War I, and why have they endured in popularity? How has espionage novels and films changed in the wake of the end of the Cold War? How have recent changes to the way nations, rulers, and even corporations perform espionage activities influenced the literature of espionage, and has the literature of espionage influenced the way spying is done today? What is the future of espionage literature? Not open to students who previously took ENGL 375 with the same topic.
Credits:
3.00
Credit Hours:
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Exclusions:
Level:
Instructional Type:
Lecture
Notes:
Additional Information:
Historical Version(s):
Institution Website:
Phone Number:
(843) 225-3294
Regional Accreditation:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Calendar System:
Semester

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