All Reading & Composition courses must be taken for a letter grade in order to fulfill this requirement for the Bachelor’s Degree. This course satisfies the second half or the “B” portion of the Reading and Composition requirement.

The travel narrative has been a popular and exciting form of literature from early epic all the way to modern science fiction. In this course we will read medieval and modern accounts, focusing on the literature of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland, that relate not just travels over the globe, but voyages that take fantastic, imaginary, allegorical, or futuristic turns. Using this material, we will explore such questions as: Why do people leave home? What makes them return? How do they respond to, and cope with, the utterly foreign beings and places they encounter? What do they learn from their encounters? What can this literature tell us about our selves and our societies?

This class is designed to fulfill the university’s Reading and Composition (R&C) requirement. Emphasis will be placed on argumentation, source evaluation, and research strategies. Students will sharpen their critical reading and writing skills through a series of short writing assignments, article analysis, and a final research project.

Texts: Course Reader

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the “A” portion of the Reading & Composition requirement or its equivalent. Students may not enroll or attend R1B/R5B courses without completing this prerequisite.