Caroline D. Eckhardt

Caroline D. Eckhardt is a Professor of Comparative Literature and English at Pennsylvania State University, holding the Smeal Chair in Literary Theory and Comparative Criticism. She specializes in medieval literature, book history, and teaching world literature. Her work focuses on textual analysis, manuscript studies, and the preservation of literary traditions.

Education: Ph.D. University of Michigan (1971), M.A. Indiana University (1965), B.A. Drew University (1963).

Research interests include medieval aesthetics, numerical symbolism in literature, and the transmission of texts through manuscripts. She has edited significant medieval works like Castleford’s Chronicle and authored studies on Geoffrey of Monmouth’s prophecies.

Administratively, she founded Penn State’s Department of Comparative Literature and the School of Languages and Literatures. Her current focus includes pedagogical approaches to world literature.