LFU:online

Department of American Studies Department of American Studies

Johannes Mahlknecht Johannes Mahlknecht

610001

Introduction to American Literary Studies

VO 2

2,5

weekly

each semester

English

To provide students with an overview of the most important aspects of (US-) American literary history, seen within the context of the nation's social, political and cultural developments.

This course retraces American literature from the earliest days following its discovery to contemporary examples. It will discuss literary eras as well as individual works and genres. It will focus on distinct paradigms that exemplify larger developments and phenomena of said eras, genres, and sociological approaches to literature. Without any claim to completeness (this would be impossible), the intention lies on giving a first conceptual insight and a rough historical overview of literary production in the times before and after the founding of the United States of America.

Lecture

Students will get questions based on the content of the lecture as well as the scriptum, titled "Literaturgeschichte der USA" by Mario Klarer (the scriptum is available in the secretary's office, Amerkastudien, 3rd floor Geiwi tower). Furthermore, students will get questions on the content of one of the following books: Mario Klarer: _Introduction to Literary Studies_ 2nd ed. (New York, London: Routledge, 2004) or Mario Klarer: _Einführung in die anglistisch-amerikanistische Literaturwissenschaft_ 8. Auflage (Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 2012).

Mario Klarer: _Introduction to Literary Studies_ 2nd ed. (New York, London: Routledge, 2004) or Mario Klarer: _Einführung in die anglistisch-amerikanistische Literaturwissenschaft_ 8. Auflage (Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 2012).