What Scares You? New ‘Monsters, Mayhem, and Murder’ Literature Course

I’ve been studying early modern England for almost 30 years now, and I’m always struck by how, in this relatively brief span of time, we see amazing convergence of so many energies and tensions. In the English Renaissance, we have technological innovation, religious and political upheaval, astounding cultural output in the arts and sciences, and some serious grappling with big questions about what it means to be human. In all of this complexity—and drama– the past feels startlingly present.

— Timothy Francisco, Professor of English, Youngstown State University