Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0141 - Kleist and Kafka: Short Storie

This course will focus on the writings of Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) and Franz Kafka (1883-1924) as representatives of a new critical idiom that emerged in German literature at the turn of each of their centuries. We will pay close attention to the style of the authors' prose including generic conventions, figurative language, delineation of character and narrative ambiguity. Additionally, short texts by Georg B chner, E.T.A Hoffmann and Thomas Mann will enhance our analysis of Kleist and Kafka. Possible themes for exploration: the function of the juridical; the importance of dreams and memory; representations of the social world, urban space and the "modern" man; the search, often futile and absurd, for truth and knowledge; epistemic dread and alienation. This class is intended to prepare students for advanced work in literature and literary studies and thus emphasis on form and genre, rhetorical devices and figurative language through close readings (explication de texte) will be part of the work of the course. This course will be conducted in English with no knowledge of German expected.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research In this course, students are expected to spend 5 hours weekly on preparation and work outside of class time.