Masterpieces of World Literature

Literature as a Window Into Worlds

World literature is a conversation across continents and centuries. This course opens that conversation by guiding you through canonical texts that have shaped how cultures understand themselves and each other.

Rather than a chronological march or a fixed canon, the course frames literature as both a record of the past and a living dialogue with the present and future. You'll encounter different literary traditions, forms, and voices—each offering perspectives that enrich your own. The course structure assumes no prior background, so it's accessible whether you're a literature enthusiast or simply curious about how different cultures tell stories. By course end, you'll have read widely across world literature and gained tools to engage seriously with texts and traditions beyond what you might encounter in a single region.