The licentious tales of passion and intrigue for which the eighteenth century is famed can in part be attributed to the Enlightenment interest in the science of sensibility, which emphasized the significance of physical sensation, sensory perception, and emotional intelligence. Experimentation with "occult forces" in the domains of physiology, chemistry, and neurology anticipated what ultimately became psychology. We will study the evolution of this science, along with its beneficial or deleterious effects on the individual and society, in the texts of some of its chief advocates, including Prévost, Diderot, Rousseau, Laclos, Sade, and Staël. Our discussions of sentimental and libertine fiction will be informed by readings in cultural history by Denby, Gidal, Hunt, Marshall, and Vila.One-hour preceptorial required for undergraduates Prereq: Fr 325, 326, Thinking-It-Through, or In-Depth.
Course Attributes: EN H; AS HUM; AS LCD; FA HUM
