English 204 introduces students to the study of popular culture by examining female protagonists in US action films from the early twentieth century to the current day. The course explores iconic superheroes like Wonder Woman, historical figures like the Agojie warriors of Dahomey, spies like Cleopatra Jones, and "everyday" women like Pam Grier’s Coffy and Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley. In analyzing how and why women kick ass, we will connect female action heroes to ongoing cultural debates around gender, particularly as it intersects with race, class, sexuality, and disability. We will also use different methods of textual and contextual analysis—close reading, critical response, and audience studies—to explore our films’ aesthetics and techniques as well as their reception.
English 204 fulfills A&H and W general education credits as well as counting toward the English major or minor.