William Bartley, English professor, compares Mad Men to 'great' historical novels

When Mad Men wraps this Sunday after seven seasons, William Bartley will be watching along with millions of viewers. But in addition to enjoying a good yarn, the associate professor of English at the University of Saskatchewan may find some new material to use in a class he's designed based around the hit TV show.

 "I'm in an awkward position as an English professor telling people they should watch more television," Bartley joked. "Some of the best writing around these days is in television ... it's becoming literary."

 Bartley said his rationale for the course was to connect Mad Men with an important tradition in English literature: the historical novel. According to Bartley, the show's recurring theme of change and progress echoes novels like George Eliot's Middlemarch.

"I think built into [historical novels] is a tension between tradition ... and reform, the idea of progress and moving ahead in the future." Bartley said.

Also, the episodic structure of a show like Mad Men is similar to how historical novels were enjoyed.

"[Middlemarch] was a serial novel, it was published in eight parts over a year, and people would wait anxiously for the next instalment to appear," he said.

Much like a good novel, Bartley said he'll be a little sad when Mad Men is finished. 

"The show has become kind of like an old friend, it's been Sunday night company for a long time now."