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CS92PROD
Heinrich von Kleist: Literature of Terror, Language of Destruction
GRST 345
Spring 2012 not offered

Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) is one of the most provocative writers in modern German literature. Although he was a contemporary of Goethe and the Romantics, his work opposes the humanistic ideals of Weimar classicism as well as the Romantic cult of radical inwardness. Oddly, it was the philosophy of Immanuel Kant that had a very strong impact on Kleist: he lost confidence in the cognitive and communicative faculties of man. In this course we will follow Kleist through his so-called Kant-crisis, discuss how it is related to a crisis of language, and see how this crisis unfolds its destructive energy in some of Kleist's most startling dramas and novellas. Readings and discussions in German.

Essential Capabilities: Intercultural Literacy, Interpretation
Interpretation: close textual analysis and contextualizing comprehension will be integral components of this course.
Intercultural Literacy: Interrogation of the connection between language and culture in German literature and philosophy.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA GRST
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None

Last Updated on MAR-29-2024
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