Austen's Emma in Down-to-Earth English Class

I never took more than the bare requirements in English class in school.  I was always a science & math kind of girl and never even thought to give literature or language much thought.  But now it'd be useful for me to know the basic structure of a story, how to plan plots and develop characters that a reader will care about.

Again, iTunes U didn't let me down!  My favorite English class I've found was ENGL 202 for English majors at Harrisburg Area Community College.

In this course, we will read British literature from about 1790 to 1945, examining literary works from the Romantic, Victorian, and twentieth-century periods in an historical and cultural context, and delving into some of the significant issues and debates that characterize and inform the literature and art of these periods.

My last week of Lunchtime Lectures, I've listened to the prof's detailed commentary on Jane Austen's Emma.

Did you know that the popular Alicia Silverstone movie Clueless is a modern Beverly Hills remake of the Jane Austen version of the story?  I really enjoyed finding out how the characters and scenes in Emma were translated into the Clueless blockbuster version.  I was surprised how faithful of a translation Clueless was!

The professor goes through the book in about 5 minutes/chapter with plot summary and commentary.  Squeezes in sidebars about social class in early 19th century England or about wages or gender roles.

Best of all, the prof is down-to-Earth, completely practical and understandable and totally unpretentious.  Really clear & simple explanation, it's the English Literature class I never had.

For all the courses I'm listening to right now, click here.