HL 310 / HL 3010: European Literature

This course explores two important traditions of European literature through a

selection of works that span the continent from north (Norway) to south (Italy) and
east (Russia) to west (Germany, rance and !ortugal)" #ll texts, of course, will $e
read in English translation"
The first tradition we shall look at is the antastic, which might $e descri$ed
as continental Europe%s counterpart to Gothic literature" The German Romantic
antastic is illustrated $y the $est&known of E" T" #" 'offmann%s $i(arre and
distur$ing tales, and the Russian genius for this genre, $y )ulgako*%s e+ually (any
masterpiece in which the ,e*il arri*es in -talinist .oscow accompanied $y a
retinue that includes a *ery mischie*ous cat """
/ur second topic is the lucidity with which early .odernist continental
European writers explore the translation of *i*id personal experience into
literature" # selection of )audelaire%s poems illustrates the origins of European
.odernism" 'amsun%s short $ut powerful Hunger illustrates the $irth of the
modern no*el" #nd we shall conclude with a selection of short texts $y ernando
!essoa, one of the most extraordinary, $ut also one of most accessi$le poets of
the twentieth century"
The o$0ecti*e is to introduce these two influential continental European
literary traditions, the tension they each exhi$it $etween a social reality and the
reality of the imagination, the nature and implications of their concern with self&
consciousness, and the redefinition of the scope and su$0ect of literature
proposed $y each of our texts" /ur final text $rings all of these concerns together1
2al*ino%s playful postmodern no*el of 3454 is a$out the pro$lems of reading,
writing, and the nature of literature that lie at the heart of this course"
1. Core Texts 6 7 to purchase1 a*aila$le at 8un Nan )ook -tore
'offmann 9The -andman% (3:3;) a*aila$le on ed*eNT<re
)ulgako* 6 The Master and Margarita (34=>s?34;;)
!icador
45:&>==>=@3=A:
)audelaire selection of works (3:@5&;5) a*aila$le on ed*eNT<re
'amsun 6 Hunger (3:4>)
2anongate
45:&>:@5:;354@
!essoa selection of works (343>&34=>) a*aila$le on ed*eNT<re
2al*ino 6 If on a winters night a traveler (3454)
Bintage
45:&>>44A=>:4;
2. Method of Instruction & Course ssess!ent
Method of Instruction ssess!ent
-eminar1 = hours per week 2ontinuous #ssessment1 C +ui((es1 C>D
C short essays1 =>D
inal Examination1 @>D
Coordinator/Lecturer office roo! no. e"!ai# address
,r" Terence ,awson '--&>=&5A T,awsonEntu"edu"sg
$roposed Lecture %chedu#e
&ee' &ee' of: uthor Text
3 #ug" 3= Introductions To 'F=3> and to 'offmann
C #ug" C> 'offmann 9The -andman%1 the trauma
= #ug" C5 'offmann 9The -andman%1 the issues
A -ept" = )ulgako* E31 The Master and Margarita1 the -atire
@ -ept" 3> )ulgako* G31 The Master and Margarita1 !ilate
; -ept" 35 )audelaire -elected !oems1 -pleen and the Ideal
5 -ept" CA )audelaire GC1 !oems of the 2ity
(ecess
: /ct" : 'amsun Hunger
4 /ct" 3@ 'ari Raya 'a0i
3> /ct" CC !essoa -elected poems H2aeiro, ReisI
33 /ct" C4 !essoa -elected poems H2ampos, !essoaI
3C No*" @ 2al*ino EC1 If on a winters night a traveller
3= No*" 3C 2al*ino If on a winters night a traveller J 2onclusion
(eco!!ended %econdar) Materia#
udio"*isua# ,B,s, a*aila$le in .edia Resources
)ortko, Bladimir Master i Margarita (TB&miniseries1 3> episodes x @C mins"K C>>@)
(Russian, with English su$titles) E@5A:=;
'enning 2arlsen (dir") Hunger (33C minsK 34;:) F574858
Lan Troell (dir") Hamsun (3@A minsK 3445) (a film a$out 'amsun%s later lifeK Eng" -u$titles)
+oo's
'offmann, E" T" #" antasy !ieces in 2allot%s .anner (344;)
-andner, ,a*id The antastic1 # 2ritical Reader (C>>A)
reud, -igmund The Uncanny (3434)
Todoro*, T(*etan The Fantastic (345>)
Lackson, Rosemary" Fantasy: the Literature of Subversion (34:3)
Negus, Menneth !T!"! Hoffmann#s $ther %orld& the 'omantic "uthor and His (ew
Mythology (34;@)
)ergstrom, -tefan )etween 'eal and Unreal: " Thematic Study of !T!"! Hoffmann#s *+ie
Sera,ionsbruder (C>>>)
)rown, 'ilda ." ! T! "! Hoffmann and the Sera,iontic -rinci,le: .riti/ue and .reativity
(C>>;)
Nright, #" 2" Mi0hail )ulga0ov (3454)
Nato*, Nadine Mi0hail )ulga0ov (34:@)
.ilne, Fesley, ed" )ulga0ov: The (ovelist1-laywright (344;)
)en0amin, Nalter The %riter of Modern Life: ssays on .harles )audelaire (C>>;)
!eyre, 'enri, ed" )audelaire: " .ollection of .ritical ssays (34;=)
'yslop, Fois )oe .harles )audelaire 'evisited (344C)
Floyd, Rosemary )audelaire#s %orld (C>>C)
Floyd, Rosemary, ed" The .ambridge .om,anion to )audelaire (C>>;)
-anyal, ,e$arati The 2iolence of Modernity: )audelaire& Irony& and the -olitics of Form
(C>>;)
'amsun, Mnut 3nut Hamsun 'emembers "merica: ssays and Stories& 455614787, ed"
R" N" 2urrent (C>>=)
Fyngstad, -*erre 3nut Hamsun& (ovelist: " .ritical "ssessment (C>>@)
!essoa, ernando " Little Larger Than the ntire Universe: Selected -oems (tr" Oenith, C>>;)
!essoa, ernando Fernando -essoa 9 .o!: Selected -oems (tr" Oenith, 3444)
.arkey, 2onstance Italo .alvino: " :ourney Toward -ostmodernism (3444)
)loom, 'arold (ed") Italo .alvino (C>>>)
)olongaro, Eugenio Italo .alvino and the .om,ass of Literature (C>>=)