I don't know why I keep going back to the 'classics'. I actually don't think it's masochism, I think it's an intense curiosity to know about the author and the work.
I'd guess I want to know what really good literature IS. I certainly didn't take the courses in college, I didn't care THAT much :) Maybe it's like the mountain climber that can't rest until he climbs Everest or K2. The sad part is I don't know the literature equivalent of those peaks, so I have to read them and see when I get done. Obviously I haven't found them yet.
That's a good analogy. And to find that peak, you have to keep reading and see what peak is steeper. And one lifetime is not enough. Perhaps, two or three aren't either.
I think my peak, for now, is Ulysses. How I want to conquer it!
I didn't take a literature course in college either and actually, looking back, I think I should have. We have a "science" craze in our country, to get better jobs, you have to pick a science discipline. While I'm very much a science lover, I think I'd love fine arts even more and perhaps literature too. But I was a different person and also a kid back then.
In all honesty? I was scared of a liberal arts education. Like you, I like Science and was happy to take those courses, but I did not like the required English courses that went with them, so I never even looked at lit.
My friend from San Diego's first degree was a Masters of English. She worked a very little as a reporter but was an Editor at a major newspaper for a few years until she got bored (or something else I don't know) and went sailing. She was on an all female crew in America's Cup qualifying :)
Then she got a PHD in Physics. She taught at a Liberal Arts University in So Cal. She's just retired due to CV from being a substitute HS teacher while she finishes up her PHD in ornithology. Next time I go hiking with her I'll ask about the literature degree. She'll tell me. I'll give her the Baron of the Trees then too. Yep, she is still an intense reader.