Advanced Seminar in German Literature
GRST 301
Spring 2009
| Section:
01
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Topic: The Jewish Other in German Culture from the Enlightenment to the Weimar Republic. This course will investigate key texts from the eighteenth century to the 1930s that focus on representations of Jewish identity and anti-Semitism. Careful close readings of major works of German literature such as Lessing's NATHAN DER WEISE, Heine's HEBRAEISCHE MELODIEN, Schnitzler's DER WEG INS FREIE, Else Lasker-Schüler's HEBRAEISCHE BALLADEN, and two of Kafka's most important animal stories will make up the essential core of the course. We will, however, also investigate, in excerpts, historically important pamphlets and tractates including Wagner's DAS JUDENTUM IN DER MUSIK, Weininger's GESCHLECHT UND CHARAKTER, and Theodor Lessing's DER JUEDISCHE SELBSTHASS. Finally, we will also consider controversial non-fiction: Karl Kraus's essays on Yiddish theater and Jewish identity as well as Freud's so-called "Moses Novel," DER MANN MOSES UND DIE MONOTHEISTISCHE RELIGION. Among the topics and themes under consideration will be the figure of the "beautiful Jewess," the concept of "Jewish self-hatred" and the aesthetic "performance" of Jewish identity. All discussions and papers will be in German; there will be some readings in English. |
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Essential Capabilities:
None |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA GRST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: GRST217 OR GRST251S OR GRST252S |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (GRST-MN)(GRST) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Primary Texts:
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. NATHAN DER WEISE
Heinrich Heine. HEBRAEISCHE MELODIEN
__________. DER RABBI VON BACHARACH
Friedrich Hebbel. JUDITH
Johann Nestroy. JUDITH UND HOLOFERNES
Franz Grillparzer. DIE JUEDIN VON TOLEDO
Arthur Schnitzler. DER WEG INS FREIE
Karl Kraus, "Die letzten Schauspieler" / "Er ist doch e Jud" und Aphorismen
Else Lasker-Schüler. HEBRAEISCHE BALLADEN
Franz Kafka. "Ein Bericht für eine Akademie" / "Josefine die Sängerin oder das Volk der Mäuse"
Walter Benjamin. "Karl Kraus."
Sigmund Freud. DER MANN MOSES UND DIE MONOTHEISTISCHE RELIGION.
Secondary Literature:
Peter Pulzer. THE RISE OF POLITICAL ANTI-SEMITISM IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
Sander Gilman. JEWISH SELF-HATRED
Ritchie Robertson. THE 'JEWISH QUESTION' IN GERMAN LITERATURE, 1749-1939
Sander Gilman, Jack Zipes, eds. YALE COMPANION TO JEWISH WRITING AND THOUGHT IN GERMAN CULTURE, 1096-1996
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two short essays (3 pp.); one class report; one final research paper (10-12 pp.). |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Regular attendance and participation in class discussion required. This course is recommended primarily for students who have studied or lived in a German-speaking country. It is required of all German Studies majors. |
| Instructor(s): Lensing,Leo A. Times: .M.W... 11:00AM-12:20PM; Location: FISK403; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: UNL | | SR major: UNL | JR major: UNL | | |
| Seats Available: UNL | GRAD: UNL | SR non-major: UNL | JR non-major: UNL | SO: UNL | FR: UNL |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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