Reading and composition in connection with the representation of Scandinavia by outsiders and insiders. Satisfies the first half of the Reading and Composition requirement.
This course will examine how Icelanders have engaged with the uncertainty of the future, the unknown, and the unpredictability of nature through folkloric elements present in Icelandic literature and traditions. This course will be geographically narrow, but temporally broad, ranging from medieval Icelandic literature and what could be termed as “Viking-Age beliefs”, into early-modern and twentieth-century folklore, as Icelanders came to terms with changes in their economic and political situations and their way of life. We will examine several famous folkloric creatures in the Icelandic tradition, from draugar and álfar to the enigmatic hafmenn, and how representations of these creatures changed (or remained consistent) over time. Students will also be invited to incorporate stories from their own cultures or personal experiences and use these to add a comparative element or a personal touch to the essays and analyses they write. This course will briefly discuss the conditions of Icelandic society during different time periods in order to contextualise the stories, and will move forward through time, beginning with the medieval material and ending up somewhere close to the present day. In doing so, themes will be revisited, but in a slightly changed context, which will also allow students to see how folkloric traditions evolve or remain internally consistent over centuries.
Students will be expected to participate in class discussions and writing workshops, provide constructive feedback to their peers, and contribute to a positive and collaborative learning environment. They will also turn in a diagnostic essay, two three-page essays, and two four-page essays. The first three-page essay will undergo two rounds of revision, and the latter three will undergo one, with drafts being handed in for grading. Six short reading responses will also be submitted and graded based on completion.
Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped.… show more
Due to the high demand for R&C courses we monitor attendance very carefully. Attendance is mandatory the first two weeks of classes, this includes all enrolled and wait listed students. If you do not attend all classes the first two weeks you may be dropped. If you are attempting to add into this class during weeks 1 and 2 and did not attend the first day, you will be expected to attend all class meetings thereafter and, if space permits, you may be enrolled from the wait list.show less