Final Syllabus
A Sense of Place in European Literature Spring 2017 3 Credits Literature Core Course Related Study Tour: St. Petersburg, Russia Instructors: Karen Louise Grova Søilen and Mette Jungersen Room: F24-402 Time: Mondays and Thursdays, 08.30-09.50 Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English Related Discipline: Creative Writing
Anna Akhmatova´s bench in front of the Fountain House, St. Petersburg
In this course we will explore and identify the interrelation between place and text. We discover comparative perspectives on European literature through in-depth analysis and close readings of texts written by modern and classical European writers. Our geographic focus is primarily Denmark, Greenland, the Baltic region, and Russia.
The European Humanities core course includes a total of 18 classes, a core course week with a short study tour in Western Denmark, and a six day long study tour to St. Petersburg, Russia.
Course Format: The course will be a mixture of class discussions, short lectures, and meetings with contemporary writers.
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
Core course week: Copenhagen and short study tour to the island of Fanø Starting in Copenhagen, we focus on the literary voices of the city. We then travel on a three-day study tour to the island of Fanø in the North Sea. We retreat from the city and meet with poet Jeppe Brixvold to explore the role of place in his poetry.
Six days long study tour to St. Petersburg, Russia During the trip to Russia, we explore St. Petersburg as the birthplace of modern Russian Literature. We read and discuss selected St. Petersburg texts on site and explore how the city influences our reading and vice versa. We walk in the footsteps of Gogol and Dostoevsky and their protagonists, explore the Petersburg of Akhmatova and Brodsky, and meet contemporary Russian authors. We visit major sights such as the Winter Palace, the Russian Museum and the Mariinsky Theatre. Before leaving for Russia, we will make sure to learn the Russian alphabet.
Instructors Karen Louise Grova Søilen Cand. mag. (Modern Culture, University of Copenhagen, 2011). Literature studies at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III, 2009. BA (Aesthetic Studies, specialization in Literature, University of Bergen, 2008). Assistant Program Director, European Humanities. With DIS since 2012.
Mette Jungersen Cand. mag. (Russian Language and Literature, University of Copenhagen, 2012). Teacher of Danish Language and Literature, Saint Petersburg University of Telecommunication, 2006. With DIS since 2008.
DIS Contact: Matt Kelley, Program Assistant, European Humanities Department
Course Objectives Examine the interrelation between place and text in literature Learn the methodology of literary geography Identify significant themes and narration strategies in the works read Improve your skills in textual analysis
Course Requirements: This course is discussion-based and requires your active participation and engagement. You are also required to complete the following to pass the course:
A short paper of 5-6 pages to be handed in on Tues, February 14 by midnight In-class exam on Thurs, February 23 A first draft of your term paper to be handed in on Tues, March 11 by midnight A term paper of 10- 12 pages to be submitted on Wed, May, 3 by noon More information on assignments will be given in class, and individual consultations will be available.
Grade Components Paper I 25% Paper II (incl. draft) 40% Written exam 20% Participation 15%
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
Required Readings
Theoretical texts
Berman, Marshal. “Petersburg: The Modernism of Underdevelopment.” All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, Penguin Books, 1988, pp. 173-212. Buckler, Julie A. “Introduction”. Mapping St. Petersburg: Imperial Text and Cityshape, Princeton University Press, 2005, pp. 1-14 + 73 -78 (Canvas). Cresswell, Tim. “Introduction: Defining Place.” Place – an introduction. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2015, pp. 1-22 (Canvas). Lotman, Yuri M. “The Symbolism of St. Petersburg”. Universe of the Mind: A Semiotic Theory of Culture, I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1990, pp.191-202 (Canvas). Massey, Doreen. “A Global Sense of Place”. Space, Place and Gender, U of Minnesota Press, 1994 (Canvas). Moretti, Franco. Atlas of the European Novel, 1800-1900, Verso, 1998.
Literature
Akhmatova, Anna. Selected Poems (Handout). Brodsky, Joseph. “A Guide to a Renamed City” and “In a Room and a Half.” Less than One, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1986, pp. 69-94 and 447-512. Brixvold, Jeppe. Østerland (Handout). Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Norton, 1989. Gogol, Nikolai. “Nevsky Prospect” and “The Nose.” Plays and Petersburg Tales, Oxford UP, 1995, pp. 3-61. Leine, Kim. The Prophets of Eternal Fjord. Liveright, 2015. Oksanen, Sofi. Purge. Atlantic, 2011. Pushkin, Alexander. “The Bronze Horseman” (Handout). Serup, Martin Glaz. The Field: A Poem. Les Figues Press, 2011.
Background Readings on Russia (Optional)
Bacon, Edwin. “The Historical Background.” Contemporary Russia, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, pp. 9-33 (Canvas). Franklin, Simon and Widdis, Emma, editors.“ ‘Us’: Russians on Russianness.” National Identity in Russian Culture, Cambridge University Press, 2004, pp. 53-74 (Canvas).
Secondary Literature A selection of relevant secondary readings will be available under ‘Recommended Readings’ on Canvas.
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
COURSE SCHEDULE
Session 1 Thurs, January 19 Place and text: Introduction Reading: 5 cities - excerpts (Handout)
Session 2 Mon, January 23 Defining Place Reading: Tim Cresswell. “Introduction: Defining Place”, pp. 1- 22 (Canvas) Doreen Massey. “A Global Sense of Place” (Canvas)
Session 3 Thurs, January 26 Mapping Literature Franco Moretti. “Introduction towards a geography of literature” in Atlas of the European Novel, pp. 3-10 Kim Leine, “Author’s Afterword” pp. 561-562, “Prologue” + ch. 1 “Copenhagen” in Prophets of Eternal Fjord, pp. 3-75
Mapping Exercise: Copenhagen
Session 4 Mon, January 30 Prophets of Eternal Fjord Reading: Kim Leine. Prophets of Eternal Fjord, pp. 76-299
Session 5 Thurs, February 2 Prophets of Eternal Fjord Reading: Kim Leine. Prophets of Eternal Fjord Part 2, pp. 300-471
CORE COURSE WEEK, February 6-11 TWO DAY SEMINAR IN COPENHAGEN:
Mon, February 6 Reading: Prophets of Eternal Fjord Part 3 and “Epilogue”, pp. 473-559
FIELD STUDY 09.00 Meet outside DIS Front desk We will depart for Nordatlantens Brygge (The North Atlantic House) by foot, including a stop at The Greenland Monument at Christianshavn Torv
Introduction to the North Atlantic House and Danish-Greenlandic relations, past and present City walk, reading, and discussion on site: Morten Falck’s Copenhagen
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
Session 6 Tue, February 7 11.00-13.00 Geography and Novel Writing + Concluding discussion of Prophets Reading: Moretti, ch. 1 “The Novel, the Nation State” in Atlas of the European Novel, 1800-1900, pp. 11-73
Lunch break Introduction to Study Tour: Fanø
Session 7 15.30 -17.00 TBA
Wed, February 8 Day off
Thurs, February 9 –Sat, February 11
THREE DAY STUDY TOUR TO THE ISLAND OF FANØ The study tour brings us to the small Danish island of Fanø in the North Sea. Here we meet Danish poet Jeppe Brixvold, read and talk about his work, and learn about the island and its traditions. We also use the island to find inspiration for our own writing and to reflect on the interrelation between writing and place. Detailed itinerary TBA.
Mon, February 13 No Class
Tue, February 14 Short paper due. To be submitted on Canvas by midnight.
Session 8 Thurs, February 16 A Tale of Two Cities Reading: Moretti, ch. 2 “A Tale of Two Cities” in Atlas of the European Novel, 1800-1900, pp. 75-134.
Mon, February 20 Study time for Exam
Session 9 Thurs, February 23 Exam
BREAK, February 25 – March, 5
Session 10 Mon, March 6 Reading Russian: Introduction to the Cyrillic alphabet Reading: Marshall Berman. “Petersburg: The Modernism of Underdevelopment” in All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, pp. 173-212 Lotman, Yuri M. “The Symbolism of St. Petersburg”, pp.191-202
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
Session 11 Thurs, March 9 St. Petersburg: A Literary City Reading: Pushkin, Alexander. “The Bronze Horseman” (Handout) Buckler, Julie A. “Introduction”. Mapping St. Petersburg: Imperial Text and Cityshape, pp. 1-14 + 73 -78 (Canvas).
Session 12 Mon, March 13 Crime and Punishment Reading: Dostoevsky. Crime and Punishment Part 1 and 2, pp. 1-165
Field Study March, 15 Film Screening: Russian Ark (Alexander Sokurov, 2002) 10.00 -12.30 Location Tba.
Session 13 Thu, March 16 Crime and Punishment Reading: Dostoevsky. Crime and Punishment Part 3, pp. 166 -236
SIX DAY STUDY TOUR TO ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA, March 19 -24: During the trip to Russia, we will explore St. Petersburg as the cradle of modern Russian Literature. We will read and discuss selected St. Petersburg texts on site, and explore how the city influences our reading and vice versa. We will walk in the footsteps of Gogol and Dostoevsky and their protagonists, explore the Petersburg of Akhmatova and Brodsky, and meet contemporary Russian authors. Detailed itinerary TBA.
Session 14 Mon, March 27 Russian Reflections Reading: Brodsky, “In a Room and A Half”
Thu, March 30 No Class.
Session 15 Mon, April 3 Crime and Punishment Reading: Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment Part 4 and 5, pp. 237-369
Thu, April 6 No Class. Time to work on your paper.
Session 16 Mon, April 10 Crime and Punishment Reading: Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment Part 6 and Epilogue, pp. 370-465
Tue, April 11 First Draft due. To be submitted on Canvas by midnight.
BREAK, April 12 – 17
Session 17
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English
Final Syllabus
Thurs, April 20 Purge Reading: Sofi Oksanen, Purge Part 1 and 2, pp. 3-222
Session 18 Mon, April 24 Purge Reading: Sofi Oksanen, Purge Part 3-5, pp. 223-390
Thursday, April 27, 8:30-09:50 Please keep this time slot open in case we need to make up for classes that have been cancelled because of illness and for consultation hours. Please do not commit yourself to anything else this morning.
Wed, May 3 Final paper due Please submit your paper on Canvas by noon
15:00 – 20:00 End of semester core class and program concluding session and social
A Sense of Place in European Literature| DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia | Major Disciplines: Comparative Literature, English