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Instructors: Mirjam Haas
Event type:
Practice class
Displayed in timetable as:
05.874.131
Hours per week:
2
Credits:
4,0
Language of instruction:
Englisch
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 45
Registration group: ELC 131
Priority scheme: Senatsrichtlinie
Contents:
“Christmas weather,” observed Mr. Elton. “Quite seasonable; and extremely fortunate we may think ourselves that it did not begin yesterday, and prevent this day’s party, which it might very possibly have done, for Mr. Woodhouse would hardly have ventured had there been much snow on the ground: but now it is of no consequence. This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas every body invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather. I was snowed up at a friend’s house once for a week. Nothing could be pleasanter. I went for only one night, and could not get away till that very day’s se’nnight.”
Mr. John Knightly looked as if he did not comprehend the pleasure, but said only, coolly,
“I cannot wish to be snowed up a week at Randalls.” (Austen, Emma 104)
In this seminar, we’ll explore Christmas and the stories, ideas and ideals – as well as their parodies, see Austen – that can be connected to it. We’ll approach our festive topic both from a cultural as well as a literary studies viewpoint. For the latter, we’ll think about Christmas Stories as forming what is probably one of the largest “story webs” in existence throughout Western culture. Christmas, of course, does not only feature in specific “Christmas Books” – such as Charles Dickens’ famous 1843 A Christmas Carol and Dr. Seuss’ 1957 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – but also in many texts and stories as part of a larger narrative (see Austen). Hence, intertextuality will form one important focus for this class: how do Christmas narratives (of all kinds) relate to, complement, and question each other? But we’ll also think about the way Christmas and its traditions have been adapted throughout various media, instrumentalised, commercialised and performed throughout the centuries. We’ll try to find links between the Nativity Stories of the Bible, early English play and prose texts, Christmas carols and songs, Georgian Christmas parties, Victorian Christmas books, modern advertisement and TV series Christmas episodes. Our main topics (this may still change) will be: Epiphany, Christmas Books, Christmas Parties, Christmas Spirit and Christmas Weather.
Recommended reading list:
The “texts” we will read, watch, and listen to in this class will generally be made available to you in excerpt form. However, there will be small student groups in charge of specific themes, topics and texts and, within these groups, you will be expected to get access to and read/watch/listen to the texts that are specific to your group in their entirety. There will also be a chance to bring your own text ideas.
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