CLL 151 - (LT) Studies in Literature

Semester Hours: 3

Fall, Spring

Designed to treat special subjects or authors at the discretion of the department, but with the student’s interest in view. Such subjects as existentialism, death, and the literary imagination, love in literature, or subjects of a like nature have been topics of recent analysis.

Current Special Topics

CLL 151: Jewish Voices in Russian Culture

In this course, we will explore the voices of people who identify as Jews who spoke or speak and wrote or write in Russian, whether living in the Russophone lands (Russian Empire, Soviet Union, Russian Federation) or abroad. All the reading and viewing assignments will be in English translation. Our course content will include short stories, poems, excerpts from novels and memoirs, stand-up comedy routines, fiction and documentary films, musical performances, and works of visual art, as well as interviews, conducted in English, with Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union. We will compare the experiences of Jews whose native language is Russian as expressed in their creative work with the experiences of individuals from other historically marginalized and oppressed groups, both here in the US (for example, African Americans, Native Americans, Latinx, and Hispanic People in the US, LGBQT+ Americans, and Americans with Disabilities) as well as abroad (e.g., Roma people in Europe and Dalit or “Untouchable” People in India) to identify universals of minoritized communities and the distinctiveness of each of those communities.

CLL 151: The Avant-Garde

This course examines the theory and practice of four defining avant-garde movements between the two world wars which sought to create “a revolution of the mind”: Futurism, Expressionism, Dada, and Surrealism redefined the style and politics of art. We read manifestoes, poetry, an expressionist play, a surrealist novel, see an expressionist film and look at paintings, photomontages, collages, found objects, which defy reality; and analyze the style and politics of the groups. Works include Futurist, Dada and Surrealist Manifestoes, the expressionist play, The Son and the expressionist film, Metropolis, the surrealist novel, Nadja, and poetry and art reflective of the movements and their impact worldwide.

CLL 151: Kingdoms of the (Un)Dead: Tales from the Underworld

This course explores the topos of the literary descent into the underworld, from antiquity to the present. What are the components of hell, what archetypes or depictions of the underworld helped to cement its importance in our culture? And why is hell so alive in secular culture? We will examine famous underworld themes and archetypes as we look at excerpts from Gilgamesh, Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Lucian, Dante, Milton, among others. We will then consider how these themes and archetypes are taken up by recent secular texts; finally, students will select and research a contemporary depiction of hell, and make an argument about how that hell works as a metaphor for a real-world issue (or fear). Throughout, we will try to better understand the curious attraction of hell, and why its 4,000-year-old story shows no sign of ending.

CLL 151: From Beer to BMWs: Modernism in Munich

This mid-semester course will introduce students to the city of Munich and its environs, its architecture, and institutions: from the famous Hofbräuhaus, German brewing traditions, and Oktoberfest, to the new Bavarian Motor Works headquarters – BMW World (Germany’s most popular tourist site) – to Munich’s many great art museums and outdoor activities at nearby lakes and in the Alps. Readings of literature will connect to the art and cultural history of Munich, the state of Bavaria, and Germany, and we will trace our journey on a map of the city and state with fun online excursions and explorations of Munich! Students will create their own digital “study abroad” journals, reflecting our online excursions and their own interests

Prerequisite(s)/Course Notes:
May be repeated when topics vary.