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GM3095: ALLUSION AND FUSION IN GERMAN LITERATURE A (2016-2017)

Last modified: 28 Jun 2018 10:27


Course Overview

“Everyone who lived in high-up, magical places must feel the same way. You come down into the world and you mingle, but all the while there's something calling you back.” (A. Hasan) The pain of feeling different from others is one of the most enduring themes in literature. For some this is enriching, others are destroyed by it. 

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Gundula-Maria Sharman

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either European Studies (EU) (Studied) or German (GM) (Studied)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • GM3595 Allusion and Fusion in German Literature C (Studied)
  • GM4595 Allusion and Fusion in German Literature D (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course will analyse the relationship between and the impact of Goethe's Werther and Buechner's Lenz on their respective contemporary societies. Both protagonists suffer from a conflict between the unfolding of the individual on the one hand, and the expectations of society on the other, and both gained iconic status in German literature. The course will then move on to examine the ways in which these texts continued to be relevant to readers in the 20th century. Both text were repeatedly reworked by modern authors particularly in East Germany, most prominently by Ulrich Plenzdorf and Volker Braun. Students will examine the reasons for the lasting appeal of the original texts and gain an understanding of the various ways the reworkings functioned in face of communist censorship.

Further Information & Notes

The course may not be included as part of a graduating curriculum with GM 3595 / GM 4095 / GM 4595.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1st Attempt: One written assignment of ca. 2500 words (100%).

Resit: one 2-hour written exam (100%)

Formative Assessment

Discussion in class.

Feedback

All essays and presentations are discussed individually within no more than 2 weeks of submission. All assignments receive CGS marks, which the Course Guide links to specific marking criteria, and written or verbal feedback in the form of tutors' comments is also given. Additional informal feedback on performance and tutorial participation is offered in tutorials. Tutors have office hours at which further feedback may be sought.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

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