ENGH 361: Continental Fiction, 1880-1950

ENGH 361-001: Fiction from Chekhov to Camus
(Fall 2017)

10:30 AM to 11:45 AM TR

Section Information for Fall 2017

This course focuses on the four main trends in fiction writing during the turbulent period from 1880-1950.  Authors come from Russia, Italy, France, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Belgium and will read in translation.

Chekhov and Verga open the course by illustrating the naturalism that flourished just before 1900.  Then come two waves of innovation that rejected naturalism: the modernist fiction of Musil and Proust followed by Kafka's and Nabokov's experimental novels.  The crisis fiction by Zamiatin, Yourcenar, and Camus reflects the wars, revolutions, and dictatorships that grew in strength from 1914-1950.

Classes will combine discussions of the readings with presentations by the instructor.  Written work includes several in-class exercises, two short papers on interpreting key passages from Proust and Kafka (the most famous figures covered in the course), a course paper and a final.

Tags:

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Offered in cooperation with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. Focuses on continental novel from beginning of 20th century to present. Includes Proust, Mann, Gide, Kafka, Yourcenar, Beauvoir, Calvino, and Garcia Marquez. Attention to influence of this literature on novel in English. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Satisfaction of University requirements in 100-level English and in Mason Core literature.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.