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Story has been in all ages an important department, in some ages (primitive, mediæval, our own) the leading department, of literature. It has the further importance of being common to two of the great divisions of poetry. Epic and Drama.

Upon analysis the interest of Story divides into two.

1. Story as an art in itself: especially Plot, the application of artistic handling to the sequence of events.

2. Story as a mode of thinking: the personages and action may be found to be concrete embodiments of ideas and speculations.

The present course brings forward six studies of famous Stories. In each case hints will be given to Students for the general treatment of the work in his private study; but the work of lecture and class will be mainly occupied with illustrating the second kind of interest—the way the story seems to embody thought on important topics.