Scandinavian 387H - Viking Revival

An interdisciplinary course exploring the impact of 19th century romantic imagination and historical consciousness on the development of a 'Nordic ideal', which would have disastrous political consequences in the 20th century. The course focuses on the Scandinavian countries, using literature, art, philosophy, and music to trace the development of a modern national ideal. Nostalgic elements include the idealization of the Vikings, historic preservation movements, and native folklore, evolving by the early 20th century into nature-worship, Vitalism, and reactions against Decadence such as polar expeditions, the cult of masculinity, and Modernism. Source material includes readings by Ibsen, Strindberg, Hamsun; promotion of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche by Danish critic Georg Brandes, visual art by Munch and Gallen-Kallela; music by Grieg and Sibelius. (Gen.Ed. AT)