German 320 - German Fables from Aesop to Zarathustra

Short, sweet, and smart, fables are one of the oldest and most successful genres in Western literature, if not the world. Since the eighteenth century, fable collections were some of the most-read books in the German language after the Bible. Talking creatures and a simple moral work to educate and delight audiences. Despite its reputation for simplicity, explaining the form's success is far from simple. What is a fable and what is not? Who writes fables, who reads them, and why? How do they reach their audiences? Is there such a thing as German fable, or is it all just Aesop redux? Through readings in and on the genre, this course introduces students to key authors and movements in the history of German literature and cultural history. Students will deepen interpretive skills through discussions of representative texts and contexts between the Enlightenment and early-Modernism. Authors include Martin Luther, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Heinrich Heine, Wilhelm Busch, Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Franz Kafka and Friedrich Nietzsche. Conducted in German.

Requisite: GERM 210 or equivalent.

Spring Semester. Professor Hannah Hunter-Parker.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: An emphasis on instruction in languages other than English, on written work, readings, and oral presentations. Students with documented disabilities who will require accommodations in this course should be in consultation with Accessibility Services and reach out to the professor as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations can be made in a timely manner.