ENGL 2202 Beast Literature

From Aesop's fables to animated films, philosophical dialogues to furry graphic novels, we often imagine animals speaking as humans do. But what are we saying when we use animals to talk with and about one another and ourselves? And what do cultural products featuring articulate beasts say about our attitudes towards humans and animals and the lines that we draw between them? This course examines animal anthropomorphism as a mode of thought and expression in ancient Greece and Rome, Medieval Europe, and the modern world. Please contact Prof. Polt (polt@bc.edu) directly for permission to enroll in this course.

Course overview

Department
English
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Both
Offered
null

Catalog details

Prerequisites
Permission of Instructor

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Requirements fulfilled

  • Environmental Studies: Concentration — Biodiversity Conservation: One Humanities Course (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Ancient Greek: III. One elective: either Greek (intermediate or above) or a course on Greek civilization (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Latin: III. One elective: either Latin (intermediate or above) or a course on Roman civilization (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

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Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Sections

  • Section 01
    Fall 2026 · Christopher Polt · Campion Hall 236 MWF 02:00PM-02:50PM · Offered