GER 373: German Literature

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Description:

An advanced undergraduate seminar in literature and cultural studies, this course will be taught completely in German with some readings in dual translation. We will read literary texts or historical accounts and then look at films that adapt these German language literary works and historical events to the screen. Focus will be on analyzing how literature and history is rewritten in a different medium--the techniques used, how story and language are modified, how characters are depicted, use of music, sound and sound effects.

Readings will be from literary works and historical documents. When comparing such texts to their film versions, students will be asked to identify similarities and differences in order to assess the extent to which the film functions as a documentary or faithful rendering of a literary work; whether it serves ulterior purposes such as propaganda; and, if adapted to a new context, what remains of the original? Such assessments involve looking for elements such as structural changes that occur in narrative point of view, treatment of chronology, and modification of time sequences in a literary work through visual effects, flashbacks, or intrusions. When literature is compared with a film version we will look particularly at what is included, altered, or expanded upon, excluded or left out. The first twelve weeks of the semester will ask students to view films with a Filmaufgabe coupled with readings of original works and short papers to give participants opportunities to practice analyses in German and to draft work in stages that build toward developing a longer paper on a topic of their choice in the final weeks of the semester. Writing of short essays in German must reflect a minimal standard of correctness or be rewritten for more than half credit (5 or more errors in word order, spelling, verb and prepositional use, and case endings for definite articles and nouns). No late work accepted without a doctor's excuse. To receive full credit, all rewrites must be submitted by the subsequent class hour.

ALL ASSIGNED WRITING TYPED ON THE COMPUTER, DOUBLE SPACED TO FACILITATE CORRECTION

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Assigned Materials

Readings

Excerpts from Sabine Hake: German National Cinema (German and English versions), excerpts on film analysis, reviews, historical accounts, German and English excerpts from Blechtrommel (Grass)-- ITCopy packet, starred on syllabus

Complete texts of the Böll, Fontane, Grass (optional), and Kleist works -- Univ. COOP

Films

                 Der Triumph des Willens (Riefenstahl)
                 Die Blechtrommel (Grass)
                 Die verlorene Ehre der Katherina Blum (Böll)
                 Marquise von O (Kleist)
                 Effi Briest (Fontane)

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Grading:

Blackboard                  15%                Präsentation                                5%   

8 Kurzessays                40%                Längerer Aufsatz (3 Stufen)      15%    Quiz:      10%

Oral participation           15%

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Please ask if you have any questions. I want to make this course as interesting and accessible as possible!

NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED; NO MAKE-UP EXAMS UNLESS ARRANGED IN ADVANCE.