Anna Akhmatova s bench in front of the Fountain House, St. Petersburg

A Sense of Place in European Literature Fall 2017 3 Credits Literature Core Course Related Study Tour: St. Petersburg, Russia Instructors: Karen Louise Grova Søilen and Mette Jungersen Room: F24 402 Time: Mondays and Thursdays, 08.30 09.50 Major Discipline: Literature Related Discipline: Creative Writing Anna Akhmatova s bench in front of the Fountain House, St. Petersburg In this course we will explore and identify the interrelation between place and text. We discover comparative perspectives on European literature through in depth analysis and close readings of texts written by modern and classical European writers. Our geographic focus is primarily Denmark, Greenland, the Baltic region, and Russia. The European Humanities core course includes a total of 18 classes, a core course week with a short study tour in Western Denmark, and a six day long study tour to St. Petersburg, Russia. Course Format The course will be a mixture of class discussions, short lectures, and meetings with contemporary writers. 1

Core course week: Copenhagen and short study tour to the island of Fanø Starting in Copenhagen, we focus on the literary voices of the city. We then travel on a three day study tour to the island of Fanø in the North Sea. We retreat from the city to read the poetry of Danish author Jeppe Brixvold, and explore the role of place in his writing. Six days long study tour to St. Petersburg, Russia During the trip to Russia, we explore St. Petersburg as the birthplace of modern Russian Literature. We read and discuss selected St. Petersburg texts on site and explore how the city influences our reading and vice versa. We walk in the footsteps of Gogol and Dostoevsky and their protagonists, explore the Petersburg of Akhmatova and Brodsky, and meet contemporary Russian authors. We visit major sights such as the Winter Palace, the Russian Museum and the Mariinsky Theatre. Before leaving for Russia, we will make sure to learn the Russian alphabet. Instructors Karen Louise Grova Søilen Cand. mag. (Modern Culture, University of Copenhagen, 2011). Literature studies at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III, 2009. BA (Aesthetic Studies, specialization in Literature, University of Bergen, 2008). Interim Program Director, European Humanities. With DIS since 2012. Email: ks@dis.dk. Office phone: +45 3376 5441. Mette Jungersen Cand. mag. (Russian Language and Literature, University of Copenhagen, 2012). Teacher of Danish Language and Literature, Saint Petersburg University of Telecommunication, 2006. With DIS since 2008. Email: mju@dis.dk. Phone: +45 2517 4916. DIS Contact: Sanne Rasmussen, Program Coordinator, European Humanities Department, sra@dis.dk. Course Objectives Examine the interrelation between place and text in literature Learn the methodology of literary geography Identify significant themes and narration strategies in the works read Improve your skills in textual analysis Course Requirements This course is discussion based and requires your active participation and engagement. You are also required to complete the following to pass the course: A short paper of 5 6 pages to be handed in on Tues, September 12 by midnight Written in class exam on Thurs, September 21 A first draft of your term paper to be handed in on Fri, October 27 by midnight A term paper (Paper II) of 10 12 pages to be submitted on Wed, December 6 by noon More information on assignments will be given in class, and individual consultations will be available. Grade Components Paper I 25% Paper II (incl. draft) 40% Written exam 20% Participation 15% 2

Required Readings Theoretical texts Berman, Marshal. Petersburg: The Modernism of Underdevelopment. All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, Penguin Books, 1988, pp. 173 212. Buckler, Julie A. Introduction. Mapping St. Petersburg: Imperial Text and Cityshape, Princeton University Press, 2005, pp. 1 14 + 73 78 (Canvas). Casey, Edward S. How to get from Space to Place in a fairly short stretch of time (Canvas). Cresswell, Tim. Introduction: Defining Place. Place an introduction. 2 nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2015, pp. 1 22 (Canvas). Lotman, Yuri M. The Symbolism of St. Petersburg. Universe of the Mind: A Semiotic Theory of Culture, I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1990, pp.191 202 (Canvas). Massey, Doreen. A Global Sense of Place. Space, Place and Gender, U of Minnesota Press, 1994 (Canvas). Moretti, Franco. Atlas of the European Novel, 1800 1900, Verso, 1998. Literature Akhmatova, Anna. Selected Poems (Handout). Brodsky, Joseph. A Guide to a Renamed City and In a Room and a Half. Less than One, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1986, pp. 69 94 and 447 512. Brixvold, Jeppe. Østerland (Handout). Dostoevsky, Fyodor.. Norton, 1989. Gogol, Nikolai. Nevsky Prospect and The Nose. Plays and Petersburg Tales, Oxford UP, 1995, pp. 3 61. Leine, Kim. The Prophets of Eternal Fjord. Liveright, 2015. Oksanen, Sofi. Purge. Atlantic, 2011. Pushkin, Alexander. The Bronze Horseman (Handout). Background Readings on Russia (Optional) Bacon, Edwin. The Historical Background. Contemporary Russia, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, pp. 9 33 (Canvas). Franklin, Simon and Widdis, Emma, editors. Us : Russians on Russianness. National Identity in Russian Culture, Cambridge University Press, 2004, pp. 53 74 (Canvas). Secondary Literature A selection of relevant secondary readings will be available under Recommended Readings on Canvas. 3

COURSE SCHEDULE Session 1 Thurs, August 24 Session 2 Mon, August 28 Session 3 Thurs, August 31 Place and text: Introduction Reading: 5 cities excerpts (Handout) Defining Place Reading: Tim Cresswell. Introduction: Defining Place, pp. 1 22 (Canvas) Casey, Edward S. How to get from Space to Place in a fairly short stretch of time, (Canvas) Mapping Literature Franco Moretti. Introduction towards a geography of literature in Atlas of the European Novel, pp. 3 10 Kim Leine, Author s Afterword pp. 561 562, Prologue + ch. 1 Copenhagen in Prophets of Eternal Fjord, pp. 3 75 Mapping Exercise: Copenhagen Session 4 Mon, September 4 Session 5 Thurs, September 7 Prophets of Eternal Fjord Reading: Kim Leine. Prophets of Eternal Fjord, pp. 76 235 Franco Moretti. ch. 1 The Novel, the Nation State in Atlas of the European Novel, 1800 1900, pp. 11 47 Prophets of Eternal Fjord Reading: Kim Leine. Prophets of Eternal Fjord, pp. 236 354 Franco Moretti, ch. 1 The Novel, the Nation State in Atlas of the European Novel, 1800 1900, pp. 47 73 CORE COURSE WEEK, September 11 16 TWO DAY SEMINAR IN COPENHAGEN: Session 6 Mon, September 11 Reading: Prophets of Eternal Fjord and Epilogue, pp. 355 559 09.00 Meet outside DIS Front desk We will depart for Nordatlantens Brygge (The North Atlantic House) by foot, including a stop at The Greenland Monument at Christianshavn Torv Introduction to the North Atlantic House and Danish Greenlandic relations, past and present City walk, reading, and discussion on site: Morten Falck s Copenhagen 4

Session 7 Tue, September 12 10.00 11.30 Authors Talk: Kim Leine 11.30 12.30 Introduction to Study Tour: Fanø NB: Short paper due on Canvas by midnight! Wed, September 13 Time for reading and preparing. Thurs, September 14 Sat, September 16 THREE DAY STUDY TOUR TO THE ISLAND OF FANØ The study tour brings us to the small Danish island of Fanø in the North Sea. Here we will read and talk about the work of the Danish poet Jeppe Brixvold, and learn about the island and its traditions. We also use the island to find inspiration for our own writing and to reflect on the interrelation between writing and place. Detailed itinerary TBA. Mon, September 18 Session 8 Thurs, September 21 Session 9 Mon, September 25 No Class Exam Reading Russian: Introduction to the Cyrillic alphabet Reading: Marshall Berman. Petersburg: The Modernism of Underdevelopment in All That Is Solid Melts Into Air, pp. 173 212 Lotman, Yuri M. The Symbolism of St. Petersburg, pp.191 202 Field Study Wed, September, 27 Film Screening: Russian Ark (Alexander Sokurov, 2002) 10.00 12.30 Location TBA. Session 10 Thurs, September 28 Session 11 Mon, October 2 St. Petersburg: A Literary City Reading: Pushkin, Alexander. The Bronze Horseman (Handout) Buckler, Julie A. Introduction. Mapping St. Petersburg: Imperial Text and Cityshape, pp. 1 14 + 73 78 (Canvas). Reading: Dostoevsky. Part 1 and 2, pp. 1 165 5

Session 12 Thu, October 5 Reading: Dostoevsky. Part 3, pp. 166 236 Mon, October 9 Sat, October 14 SIX DAY STUDY TOUR TO ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: During the trip to Russia, we will explore St. Petersburg as the cradle of modern Russian Literature. We will read and discuss selected St. Petersburg texts on site, and explore how the city influences our reading and vice versa. We will walk in the footsteps of Gogol and Dostoevsky and their protagonists, explore the Petersburg of Akhmatova and Brodsky, and meet contemporary Russian authors. Detailed itinerary TBA. Session 13 Mon, October 16 Thu, October 19 Session 14 Mon, October 23 Session 15 Thurs, October 26 Fri, October 27 Russian Reflections Reading: Brodsky, In a Room and A Half No Class Reading: Dostoevsky Part 4 and 5, pp. 237 369 Reading: Dostoevsky Part 6 and Epilogue, pp. 370 465 First Draft due. To be submitted on Canvas by midnight. BREAK, October 28 Nov 5 Session 16 Mon, November 6 Session 17 Thurs, November 9 Purge Reading: Sofi Oksanen, Purge Part 1 and 2, pp. 3 222 Purge Reading: Sofi Oksanen, Purge Part 3 5, pp. 223 390 Mon, November 13, 8:30 09:50 Please keep this time slot open in case we need to make up for classes that have been cancelled because of illness and for consultation hours. Please do not commit yourself to anything else this morning. Session 18 Thurs, November 16 Final Paper Workshop 6

Wed, December 6 Final paper due Please submit your paper on Canvas by noon 15:00 20:00 End of semester core class concluding session and social 7