Boundaries of the Human

This course surveys texts from different places and periods that deal with fantastic, imaginary, or artificially constructed creatures, investigating how such beings help us think about what it means to be human. We will read poetry, novels and stories from the Medieval to the Modern era by writers of myth, fantasy and speculative fiction, including Marie de France, Jonathan Swift, H. G. Wells, Angela Carter, and Ursula K. Le Guin. All the texts introduce us to humanoid, shapeshifting or uncanny creatures, thereby asking us to consider: “What makes a human being human?”