Part writing workshop, part literature seminar, this course will introduce students to key concepts in literary studies while emphasizing the relevance of those concepts to their own creative writing. What is literature? What are the major historical literary movements and what is their relevance today? How does literature interact with the other arts? What is the relationship between literature and politics? We will explore such questions through a close consideration of excellent texts and a variety of writing exercises. Students will compose and analyze works of fiction, poetry, drama, and criticism.