Introduction to varieties of literary and cultural theory used in the analysis of literary texts and other cultural artefacts.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the history of the field of folklore in Central and Northern Europe, as well as to concepts related to folklore genres and methodologies for the interpretation of these genres. The course begins with a broad overview of the field of folklore, and the early collections of the 16th and 17th century that set the stage for later developments in the field at the end of the 18th century. Week two focuses on the works of Johann Gottfried Herder, his call to focus on the folk songs of the rural populace, and the impact of his work on the Grimm brothers. Week three and four focus on the extraordinary scope of the Grimms’ work in their Kinder und Hausmärchen as well as Deutsche Sagen, and traces the impact of this work in the Netherlands, France, and Scandinavia. In week five, we follow the impact of increasingly nationalist rooted conceptions of “folk” on the emerging politics of Europe in the aftermath of WWI. With a proper historical context and overview of the various folklore collections of 19th century Europe under our belt, as well as a burgeoning appreciation of the power of folklore in the imaginings of nation, we turn our attention to the folklore itself, and explore concepts of genre, and the methodologies devised for the interpretation of these stories. We learn about early structuralist and functionalist approaches to the fairy tale, before turning to more recent and sophisticated models of the genre. In weeks seven and eight, we turn our attention to supernatural beings and how they are represented in the folk beliefs of a broad swath of central and northern Europe. As a case study, we consider belief in witches, and the long history of witches and witchcraft trials across Europe, from the 15th through 20th centuries. We end by turning to the current rise of the extreme right wing in Europe, and explore how these groups use folkloric concepts and genres as part of their ubiquitous social media presence.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.