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GER 496C/596C
Spring 2013 GER 496c/596c - Capstone Course
INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Albrecht Classen, Dept. of German Studies, 301 Learning Services Building, Office 318; tel. 621-1395; aclassen@u.arizona.edu; aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/
CLASS MEETINGS: Edu 240, Tu and Thu: 2:00-3:15 p.m.
OFFICE HOURS:
Mo and We 11a.m.-12 p.m., and any other time after appointment (but always feel free simply to stop by at my office)
Course Topic: Deutsche Kultur- und Literaturgeschichte
Course Goal: Development of a overview of the history of German culture, literature, and history from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century., using each text as a kaleidoscope to study specific cultural and historical periods.
Oral Presentations: Each student gives, alone or in a group, an oral presentation on one text or one author, which then must be worked out as a written paper, with solid resources, bibliography, etc.
a. Undergraduate students: Each student chooses one text and studies it carefully as to the content, the language, the imagery. Prepare a worksheet for the class to gain a solid understanding of what the text means, what the symbols are, what specific metaphors or idioms are used. You can create a PPP, bring in music, images, maps, etc. as background information. Be ready to address class with questions, orally or in writing.The worksheet should consist of specific questions.
b. Graduate students: Your job will be to research the literary-historical background, examine what scholarship has said about the source, and introduce us to the poet and the school of thought/ideology, etc. Go the the website listed below and bring a synopsis of the material presented there to class in the form of a presentation, along with a worksheet.
Grading:
A. 1 Oral presentation on a poet/writer: 20% (mostly individually, in exceptions in a group of two)
B: 1 written paper (term paper) based on the presentation of one text, i.e., the interpretation, with solid scholarly apparatus (for graduate students, engage with at least 6 outside sources): 20% (most sources must be in German): undergraduate students: write ca. 4 pp., or 2000 words (at least 3 outside sources, in German); graduate students: ca. 8 pp., or 8000 words (with careful reflection of relevant scholarship). Please consult with your instructor about the outside sources! Due date: preferably within one month of your presentation, absolutely final due date is April 30! No electronic submission. Structure: Name, ID, Date, Word Count on top. Title, thesis statement, arguments, conclusion. Bibliography. At the bottom: sign that this is your own piece of work and that you did not receive outside help.
C: Oral summary of a historical period (oral), consult the webpage above: 20% (if we run out of time, submit only in written form, but everyone must hand in the written paper).
D: 1 Mid-term 20% 1 Final 20%
E: Extra credit: tba
ATTENDANCE:
Although it is assumed that you will attend all class sessions, you are informed hereby that excessive absences will have consequences: More than three unexcused absences lead to a drop of one grade in this course, and more than five unexcused absences will lead to an automatic grade of E (failing). If justified circumstances prevent you from attending, please inform me in writing either before or after the event, and provide satisfactory documentation (e.g., doctor’s note).
DISCUSSIONS, ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR, EXPECTATIONS:
Please treat each other with respect and tolerance. People do have different views and opinions, but all these can only contribute to the rich learning experience I hope you all will have in this class. You are strongly encouraged to participate in class as much as possible. The two class meetings per week will only be of profit for you if you respond to my questions and those of your classmates, and contribute on your own as often as possible.
For information on the University of Arizona Policy on Threatening Behavior by Students, click on this link.
See also: http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml
- CELL PHONES: You are not allowed to have your cell phones on during class because a ringing will disturb everyone strongly. Either turn them off or mute them. All other electronic gadgets not pertinent to this class must also be off.
SPECIAL NEEDS: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to participate fully in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center. (http://drc.arizona.edu/). Students need to submit appropriate documentation to the instructor if they are requesting reasonable accommodations.
WARNING:
If you use secondary material for your papers, make sure that you indicate clearly where you took it from. Plagiarism and cheating violate the Code of Academic Integrity. For further information, see:
http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/plagiarism/index.html
Do not ever copy from the work produced by your classmates or by other students who might have taken this course in previous semesters. If you receive help in writing your papers, make sure that the final outcome still represents your own work. You can discuss your papers with your fellow students, but at the end they need to consist of your own ideas and words! Be advised that the Web is a great search tool, but never, never copy from there without identifying very clearly what you used. At this point the scholarly value of web-based material still is not totally reliable, and the chances that you might stumble upon a most dubious webpage with untrustworthy information are very high. When you quote from a secondary source, clearly identify the quote and tell the reader in a footnote where you quoted from. Every year more than 100 students at the UA are caught having committed the crime of plagiarism, resulting in penalties that could be as severe as expulsion from the University! You are smart enough not to copy from other people.
If there is any doubt in your mind whether you might commit plagiarism, see:
http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_faqs.html
Plagiarism and the Web
If there is any doubt in your mind whether you might commit plagiarism, see:
http://www.turnitin.com/research_site/e_faqs.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html
If you commit plagiarism, you could either receive a 0 on your specific assignment, or an F for the entire course. Depending on the gravity of the case, you might even be expelled from the University. Every plagiarism case must be reported to the Head of my depart., to the head of your dept., and to the Dean of Students.
READING MATERIAL: We are going to use a webpage developed at the University of Helsinki which provides excellent cultural historical information and good text selections. Access is free. Deutsche Kulturgeschichte (ID: kultur; Password: radi)
And: A. Classen, Das deutsche Mittelalter in seinen Dichtungen. 4th rev. and expanded ed. 2009 (available from the bookstore: produced by Fast Copy)
Die deutsche Literatur online: Bibliotheca Augustana
SYLLABUS:
Jan. 10: Introduction. All our texts up to the poems byKlopstock are contained in our textbook. The rest is all online
Jan. 15: Early Middle Ages: Hildebrandslied
Jan. 17: Early Middle Ages: Hildebrandslied: http://aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/sites/aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/files/Hildebrandslied1.doc
Jan. 22: High Middle Ages. Besuch in der Bibliothek; wir treffen uns in der Empfangshalle des Hauptgebaeudes; Minnesang. Mittelhochdeutsche Textauswahl
Jan. 24: High Middle Ages. Minnesang 2nd presentation:
Jan. 29: High Middle Ages: Walther von der Vogelweide:
Jan. 31: High Middle Ages; Walther von der Vogelweide 3rd presentation: .
Mittelhochdeutsche Klassik - ein kurzer Ueberblick
Feb. 5: Late Middle Ages: Der Stricker; Der Wilde Alexander.
Feb. 7: Late Middle Ages: Mechthild von Magdeburg:
Feb. 12: Late Middle Ages: Oswald von Wolkenstein; Praesentation: Spaetmittelalter; 4th presentation: .
Feb. 14: Late Middle Ages: Oswald von Wolkenstein
Feb. 19: Reformation: Martin Luther: Matt; Argula von Grumbach: 5th presentation: on Reformation:
Feb. 21: Reformation: Till Eulenspiegel: .
Feb. 26: mid-term
Feb. 28:: Reformation: Hans Sachs:
Mar. 5: Baroque: Andreas Gryphius and Angelus Silesius; Opitz: 6th presentation:
Mar. 7: Barock Anacreontic: Friedrich Hagedorn
Mar. 9: Spring break
Mar. 17: Spring break
Mar. 19: Enlightenment: Klopstock: Fruehlingsfeier:; 8th presentation:
Mar. 21: Classic Period: Nicoand Mariia; Goethe: Der Zauberlehrling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNxltumMxbc&feature=related:
Panopto Video
Mar. 26: Erlkoenig; Schubert's version. Classic Period: Goethe: Der Koenig in Thule; Heidenroeslein. Goethe: Schubert's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5IHV-GGD80&feature=related
Ramstein: Rosenrot (video). Textversion
Take a look at the Fraktur print.
March 28: Schiller: : Der Handschuh; Die Buergschaft; 9th presentation
April 2: Romanticism: Eichendorff: Das zerbrochne Ringlein; Clemens Brentano: Der Spinnerin Lied. Praesentation:
Apr. 4: Heinrich Heine: Deutschland ein Wintermaerchen
Apr. 9: Vortrag ueber Romantik; und Vortrag von Heine: Die Grenadiere. Belsazar
Apr. 11: Gottfried Keller:: Julia Vier Jugendfreunde; Tod und Dichter. Praesentation:
Apr. 16: Conrad Ferdinand Meyer: Die Fuesse im Feuer
Apr. 18: Theodor Fontane: Chris Die Brueck am Tay. 10th presentation:
Apr. 23: First half of the Twentieth-Century: Bertolt Brecht: Die Liebenden (1927). Praesentation: Bertolt Brecht: Becky, Anna: An die Nachgeborenen
Apr. 25: Durs Gruenbein: 13th presentation (2nd half of the twentieth); Praesentation:
April 30: final
May 6 Written paper is due at 12 p.m.