Comparative Literature
Photo: Princeton University, Office of Communications
Comparative Literature offers a broad and flexible program of literary study, outside the disciplinary confines of the national literature departments. Students enjoy a great advantage in their ability to choose departmental courses from all literatures, Western and non-Western, and even from a number of disciplines. Why study literature in this way? There are at least three reasons. One is to study literature as an international phenomenon and explore the ways in which different traditions interact with one another. A second is to provide a theoretical account of literature itself. A third is to explore cross-disciplinary issues, between literature and the arts, literature and science, and literature and the social sciences. Students choosing the Department of Comparative Literature should have a commitment to the study of literature and be open and curious about different approaches to it. They should be adventurous in choosing from a variety of courses and have an independent mind. At the same time, they should be capable of using the freedom that the discipline affords to build a coherent and personally satisfying program of study. Alumni of the department use their multi-lingual proficiency and broad humanities–based perspective to enter such diverse fields as law, business, government, higher education, medicine, publishing, journalism, technology, and the arts.
What Students Say
• What is it like being a comparative literature major?
• What are common misconceptions about comparative literature majors?
• What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
• How will comparative literature majors save the world?
• Why would anyone want to date an comparative lIterature major?
Senior year, students are assigned two advisers to guide their thesis work. Comparative literature is also a very viable option for students who are interested in writing a creative thesis — comparative literature major applicants are routinely approved for creative theses at the end of junior year.
• What are common misconceptions about comparative literature majors?
• What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
• How will comparative literature majors save the world?
• Why would anyone want to date an comparative lIterature major?
Being a comparative literature major is absolutely wonderful. It enables students to study two languages during their time at Princeton in a cross-cultural approach to literature and the arts. Due to the set-up of the requirements for the major, the options for study available to a comp. lit. major are virtually endless. No matter what direction the students choose, the faculty is always encouraging and supportive. Students may choose one of four different tracks to follow, which allows for the most freedom in choosing classes. Comparative literature allows the students to explore their passions, whether German poetry or French theater.
The department, which is on the smaller side, matches up students with two advisers their junior year, one for each junior paper. The first junior paper for comparative literature is typically a close-reading of a text. But when we say “text,” we don't necessarily mean literary text. With the right advising and department approval (and they're wonderfully flexible), an analysis of a song, dance, or movie can be just as viable for a paper topic as a piece of poetry or prose! The second (comparative) junior paper gets a bit longer, but is still relatively short.
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One common misconception is that comparative literature is necessarily buried in obscure theory and lofty rumination. This major can provide endless freedom to the concentrator, provided that he/she takes advantage of the resources and opportunities around him/her. Many people imagine students poring endlessly over linguistic entanglements and translating dilemmas, and though the study of theory is certainly an integral part of comparative literature and one that every concentrator will go through in junior seminar, it does not necessarily pervade one's entire experience in the department.
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Because comp. lit. majors need to graduate fluent in one language and at least able to read another, the department encourages and facilitates study abroad opportunities for the students. It is common for a comp lit major to spend a semester or a summer abroad. Comparative literature offers generous summer funding for language learning as well as independent research. Graduates of the comp. lit. department have made their mark everywhere from banking to international law to publishing and academia, and their summers reflect this sort of post-grad work diversity.
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By understanding and surmounting those differences that everyone else considers to be incomprehensible and insurmountable.
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Because we can bring you the world and bring the world to you.
Because we can pronounce EVERYTHING on the menu.