COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will assess the value of novels as resources for writing nineteenth-century German history. We will commence with a review of the “linguistic turn” in intellectual historiography and some recent responses to it. Having considered new developments in intellectual history, we will commonly read a selection of novels from this period and discuss their usefulness to the historian. Students will be asked to produce papers based on careful consideration of a single text’s various contexts. While prospective Europeanists are encouraged to study novels in their original language, we will concentrate on works in translation. Increased familiarity with nineteenth-century German history, German culture, and the methodological issues involved in referring to fictional sources will be the goals of all.

READING: To provide a basis for class discussion, the following books are required reading. Assignments must be read before coming to each session. Some readings may be added to this list through the semester.

SECONDARY:

Eric Blackall, The Novels of the German Romantics

Georg Lukacs, German Realists in the 19th Century

Russell Berman, The Rise of the Modern German Novel

PRIMARY:

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Sufferings of Young Werther and Elective Affinities

Frank Ryder, ed., Romantic Stories

Jeff Sammons, ed., German Novellas of Realism I

Theodore Fontane, Effi Briest

Thomas Mann, Buddenbrooks

Robert Musil, Selected Writings

Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain

DISCUSSIONS: This course will consist of weekly discussion sessions. I will ask two or three of you to introduce sources for each discussion. I recommend that you also consider the most recent journal literature on each source. These presentations will be prearranged during the first two sessions of the semester. Depending on course enrollment, you will be asked to initiate discussion in this way numerous times during the semester. Those not introducing materials are still responsible for reading them. General involvement in class discussions will determine your class participation grade.

TERM PROJECT: You will write a 25- to 30-page paper assessing the one (or more) of the novels read in this course (or others, in consultation with me). Although the specific topic is open, you should concentrate on relating the work to one or more of its “contexts” as well as assessing its usefulness to the historian of nineteenth-century Germany.

You are to complete this project in four stages:

1. By Thursday, September 18, you should select your topic in consultation with me. Please submit a written committment to your topic.

2. On Thursday, October 2, please turn in a statement of purpose (typed). It should summarize of the subject matter of your work, review the primary source you are studying, announce the general aims of your study, and list the sources you will use.

3. On thursday, October 30, I ask for a thematic outline of your paper (typed). This must be more than a “topical” outline. It should include a fully developed thesis statement and subsequent entries should be in the form of full sentences.

4. The finished paper is due on Friday, December 5, before 5:00pm.

GRADES: Grades will be determined according to the following scheme.

Class Participation 50%

Term Paper (incl. "stages") 50%

OFFICE HOURS:

I will be available at Crown Center 513, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30am to 12:30pm. My telephone number there is 508-2234. If none of these hours are suitable, speak to me to arrange an appointment. My home phone number is 944-5477 (before 9pm, please). My e-mail address is dennis@orion.it.luc.edu

READING AND DISCUSSION SCHEDULE

8/28 Introduction

9/4 Eric Blackall, The Novels of the German Romantics

9/11 Georg Lukacs, German Realists in the 19th Century

9/18 Russell Berman, The Rise of the Modern German Novel

Paper topics must be selected September 18

9/25 J. W. v. Goethe, The Sufferings of Young Werther and Elective Affinities

10/2 Frank Ryder, ed., Romantic Stories

Statement of Purpose due October 2

10/9 Jeff Sammons, ed., German Novellas of Realism I

10/16 Theodore Fontane, Effi Briest

10/23 Thomas Mann, Buddenbrooks

10/30 Thomas Mann, Buddenbrooks

Paper outline due October 30

11/6 Robert Musil, Selected Writings (Continuum 1986)

11/13 Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain

11/20 Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain

Finished papers due December 5, by 5:00pm.