ThePoorHangedFool

I adore Coppelia Kahn; as far as my own circumstances are concerned, I'd effectively be asking for Brown to waste that one extra sheet of paper (or one minute of their life spent typing and sending an email) to inform me of my immediate rejection if I applied to their program. However, I've been heavily studying Kahn's critical essays exploring Roman women in Shakespeare for a subsection in my thesis from last semester (which I ended up having to give to my department in a version that, while "complete" as it technically was, didn't begin to discuss much of what I'd accumulated during my research. I'm currently expanding it into the much more extensive work I had originally intended it to be, and although I do end up arguing against Kahn throughout much of one section I'm completing for which her writings are a key source, she is absolutely brilliant and I would do almost anything to study under her tutelage for even a year of my graduate studies. I should clarify that I am hoping to develop my graduate "concentration" around Shakespeare studies, so you can trust me when I assure you that my research on the strengths of various programs in terms of A) the courses each offers that cover Shakespeare--from any perspective, as well as the faculty members at each school whose specialties include or are predominantly centered around Shakespeare, has been more than sufficiently in-depth and thorough. Unsurprising now to all is that, naturally, my note-taking on other areas/periods/genres within each program is somewhat less elucidating; I do have a variety of other interests outside Shakespeare's works, but somehow always manage to relate much of what I think about (even if it doesn't make it into every essay) back to him. Wow, my digressions are astounding these days...it seems that because I've been talking out loud significantly less often than I normally would during an average day, my suppressed words and thoughts quickly become word vomit into the text box of whatever I'm working on while using my computer.... THE POINT is that Coppelia Kahn is a magnificent writer and critic, but obviously she has a foundation quite solidly grounded in feminist theory, so if that is something that you've found yourself less interested in or less inspired by when writing your OWN work, she might be one you'd want to get to know through her essays and books before taking all my praise of her and possibly arriving at Brown next year and ending up miserable because she's not quite the way I portrayed her here.... Actually, I'd recommend that everyone here who hasn't already studied Kahn in some form or another read at least one of her chapters or essays on any one of Shakespeare's plays or poems. She is a great critic to study if anyone is just getting started with the basic thought of feminist criticism and theory; nearly all of her writing that I've personally read is, relatively speaking, straightforward and her main argument(s) easy to grasp hold of quickly without much outside research. If anyone out there is specifically aligned with either Shakespeare or feminist theory/criticism, I'd advise to go buy her books on Amazon or eBay or somewhere and try to become familiar with a few specific essays. She's one of the literary critics in academia that not only everyone has heard of and probably read, but you'll find that even when a professor disagrees with one of her points he or she acknowledges how imperative Kahn's overall contributions to literary criticism and feminist theory have been.

I don't see your post as contradictory. Well, technically our institutions' policies concerning community patrons' access to electronic databases are in opposition with one another, but I simply wanted to clarify to the original user that not all universities function alike (private v. public makes a difference in some cases). Moreover, not all public libraries adhere to the same guidelines; my situation is perhaps somewhat isolated from other users' given that my university library IS the community library. I truly didn't intend to start a conflict over something so trivial (well, not so much trivial for the user who wants access). Being in the same canoe with everyone else in this forum discussion, I have little information about any user's specific circumstances that isn't provided by him or her. I just thought it would be helpful to offer people whose questions clearly provoke numerous and variant "right" answers the implication of that very notion.

irregardless irregardless irregardless irregardless...I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don't be offended. I just couldn't let it sit there pretending to be a real word any longer. Carry on.

*My apologies if someone else has already said something to this effect; I didn't notice such a post when reading through them, if so.* Regarding the GRE Literature Subject test, I wholeheartedly agree with truckbasket's most recent post from a few days ago. It is certainly important to acknowledge the difference between one program's emphatically dissuading its applicants from submitting the Lit test (with such tactics as the same italics just used--one of the schools I was researching last night did just this [i'll have to check on my list-in-progress to make sure I name the right one - sorry]) and another program seemingly stating their disinterest in seeing a Subject test score while never flatly denouncing its value. In a parallel vein, it is worthwhile to make a note of each school's program(s) while going through and doing research on them all. A program that celebrates A) a HUGE faculty, particularly if of which 85% have been getting published for over a decade (and/or are either already tenured or on the last few yards of their tenure-track), and furthermore, represent as a collective wealth of knowledge essentially the entire canon twice over, in addition to theorists, etc. playing an auxiliary yet pronounced role within the Department, TAKE THE SUBJECT TEST AND SEND YOUR SCORE TO THEM. The website might sound discouraging in how it assures prospective students that only the GRE itself is required, but think about it.... What is it to them other than a useful supplement to your application file if you send them your score (assuming you think said score is impressive to the program in question)? It's ONE NUMBER. Literally. Hence the painful truth behind the above remark about the handfuls of applicants who will not only send their Subject test score, they'll put it in a brightly-dyed envelope and fill it with confetti to announce their triumph as deliberately as possible... And while that sucks - yes, it sucks quite a lot - the chances of that applicant, "A," getting a spot at a competitive program over applicant B who, though in every other respect is undoubtedly equal in merit to applicant A, didn't take/send their score from the Lit test, are TRAGICALLY favorable to "A." They may seem annoying to the rest of us, but to the directors and admissions committees of these programs, they see an applicant who went just a few feet further in his or her efforts than did another. Sorry to ramble on about this...I'm sure you all are perfectly aware already of most (if not everything) I just said...I just am finding the Internet to be my only place to vent these days...working at a summer studies camp for middle schoolers severely precludes my habitual tendency to blurt all kinds of exciting and shiny obscenities for various or nonexistent reasons...apparently that's how I release a lot of my stress usually. Who knew.

This is true for the fortunate, I agree. The thoughts I posited, however, stem from the fact that my own institution denies its "regular" or "community" members access to electronic databases regardless of whether a library card has been issued or whether a patron begs for the librarians to make an exception (trust me, I tried). I have never heard mentions of an alumni card there, either, though I know many institutions do have such systems in place. Ahembree, if you live near a University library--or, probably, select metropolitan public libraries, as well--you might be able to access the databases while physically in the library itself even if you can't from home, etc. You might end up using more paper than you'd typically prefer, but it seems that research is quite a valid excuse.

Hello there, I am also applying to English programs for next fall, although I'm considering those offering an M.A., as well (I say this because it appears you're specifically looking at Ph.D. programs--if you don't mind sharing your reasons for this, I'd love to hear them). Similarly, Shakespeare is my primary concentration, and my secondary interests differ from yours only somewhat (19th and 20th century American; medieval; film and cinema studies, among other subfields). Because we have such similar interests, perhaps we'll be able to offer each other more relevant advice than other users who fall under the "Literature/Rhetoric and Composition" field. At any rate, I'm currently wondering why you only think WashU, Duke, Northwestern, and UVa are "maybes" for you, and also whether you've looked at all into Vanderbilt's program. In regards to accessing peer-reviewed and scholarly articles and journals, does your former university's library website have a link to JSTOR/MLA? If so, you should still be able to use them. If not, I'd suggest looking on the library websites of other undergraduate (or, I suppose, graduate?) institutions and seeing if any have free access to JSTOR and other scholarly sites. Also, Google Scholar is a great place to find some (though not nearly as many) articles, depending on the subject or writer you're researching. It will link you to JSTOR at times (sometimes frustratingly often), but not always, and can lead you to Google Books occasionally, as well. There you'll find some free eBooks, or even just Preview chunks of books containing helpful essays or chapters that conveniently encompass what specifically pertains to your subject.

Actually, looking at job placement statistics for whatever programs to which you're applying can be immensely eye-opening. One I recently found typically awards between two and four Ph.D.s every year; up until 2008, its graduates were getting jobs at some of the top-five universities for the year immediately following. Since then, though, there have been years where one of two or even TWO of two graduates won't get jobs anywhere. Period. The program to which I'm referring, by the way, is one generally listed among the top twelve for English in each round of rankings.

Disclaimer: I did not truthfully read every single reply that has been posted regarding Two Espressos's questions on aesthetics in literature. I've admittedly perused the responses, skimming many of them but reading ones that catch my eye. Two Espressos: Let me give you this advice concerning your desire to concentrate on theory (and, unless I am mistaken, criticism). There is going to be much difficulty in not eventually centering in on a specific period of literature if you do, in fact, maintain your primary interest in theory. Additionally, you'll find at some point that you DO have an historical period in which your developing analytical approach(es) best fit, and once you've situated yourself in one subfield, you'll discover that you're actually far from confined to it. My studies concentrate on Shakespeare, but currently I'm pursuing research that will result in a comparative explication of Faulkner, Eugene O'Neill, the book of Job, and Shakespeare. The thesis I've been working on since January concerns a play and a poem of Shakespeare's, but also Ovid, Chaucer, feminist theorists Irigaray, Cixous, and Kahn, and multiple other sources. Basically what I'm trying to explain is that eventually it becomes impossible not to favor certain historical brackets. Similarly, while it is fantastic that you're already interested in literary theory, you are of course going to want to take a wide variety of English literature classes while an undergraduate. I would STRONGLY advise you NOT to choose which courses to take solely based on whether a particular theorist or group of critics or subset of theory/criticism applies itself frequently to the content studied. You should refrain from aligning yourself this early with one critical or theoretical perspective; it will greatly hinder your chances of getting into graduate programs if your writing sample and personal statement limit your abilities and interests to JUST a feminist/Marxist/psychoanalytical/etc. lens. Take courses before you graduate that form a foundation for your understanding of literature; I'd personally recommend (not knowing, obviously, what you have and haven't already taken) Shakespeare, modern American and/or British fiction (contemporary fiction is equally valuable), any course relevant to "women in literature," and whichever American literature course(s) offered that study Hawthorne, Emerson, Whitman, Poe, Melville, and Dickinson. As far as aesthetics in literature is concerned: if you're talking about something like "gaze," feminist theory is the place to start. Feminisms (2nd ed.) has some great essays on gaze, which I'd be happy to list for you if you're interested. If you're thinking along the lines of ecphrasis/ekphrasis, I can also recommend some good reading that might be useful. If neither of these routes is what you have in mind, do clarify "aesthetics" for me and I'll let you know if I can be of help. The term "aesthetics" is quite broad, and thus can be used in various ways when discussing different types of literature or even specific writers. I hope this isn't entirely a repetition of earlier replies...forgive my lengthy comments if so.