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German literature: understanding and loving - course 4950 rub. from Level One, training 8 lectures, Date November 29, 2023.
Miscellaneous / / December 02, 2023
A course of lectures on the absurd and contradictory world of Mann, Kafka and Hesse. Let's talk about the history of the creation of books and understand why neither modern prose nor modern theater can be imagined without German literature of the 20th century. It is not necessary to read the books in advance - we will select the most interesting and revealing passages.
Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of History of Foreign Literatures at St. Petersburg State University. She has taught at the universities of Zurich, Innsbruck, Halle, Freiburg and Trier. Laureate of the international competition “European Lecturer 2012”. Author of more than 100 literary works in Russian and German.
“The literature of German-speaking countries formed the basis of the European artistic heritage. Writers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland represent different cultures that are interesting to compare. The classical German tradition that unites them turns into a fireworks display of artistic experiments and big names in the 20th century. Thomas Mann and Hermann Hesse, Kafka and Brecht - without them it is impossible to imagine either modern prose or modern theater. We will examine this fireworks display in detail, expanding knowledge with new names, as well as information about little-known, but extremely important events and phenomena. We will find reliable reference points in the works of a variety of authors who have given the world amazing combinations philosophical depth and beauty of verbal images, we will share the experiences of the smartest people of our time."
Lectures last 2 hours and take place on Thursdays. Connect online to ask questions to an expert, and if you don’t have time, the lecture recordings will remain in your personal account forever.
Modernism. Literary landmarks of the 20th century
Let's dive into the history of culture to understand why the literature of the twentieth century is so different from the previous tradition. Let us see the connection between phenomena in the fields of different arts. Let's expand our knowledge of how language and ideas about it influence our worldview. Let us discover the main trends in literature after 1900. Now we are ready for a thorough reading of complex books.
Thomas Mann. Philosophical prose
Let us take a closer look at the variety of connections between philosophy and literature. Let's discuss the creative path of the writer. Let's look at the novel "Buddenbrooks" and understand why it brought Mann fame and the Nobel Prize. Let's pay attention to short prose - “Death in Venice”, “Mario and the Wizard”. Let's study the key book “The Magic Mountain” as an example of a philosophical novel.
Franz Kafka. Awakened Dreamer
Let's look at German-speaking Prague at the beginning of the twentieth century to understand why a new era in the history of literature was born here. Let's follow the main milestones of Kafka's creative path. Let us determine the writer’s connections with the key artistic phenomena of his time. Let's study the short story "Metamorphosis" in comparison with the main novels - "The Trial" and "The Castle". Let's learn to consider multiple meanings in prophetic texts of the past century.
Bertolt Brecht. Theater renovation
Let us identify the main trends of traditional theater in comparison with the innovative theory of Brecht. We will see the progress of artistic experiments throughout the creative life of the writer. Let us turn to the early work of the writer and his connections with expressionism. Let's consider Brecht's most famous plays - “The Threepenny Opera”, “Mother Courage and Her Children”. Let us determine the reasons for Brecht's relevance today.
Poetry of German cabarets. From light genres to anti-fascism
Let's get acquainted with famous German sketches, short prose and songs - from chansonnets and couplets to propaganda marches. All this is brilliantly translated into Russian. Let's imagine dances from the early twentieth century, instrumental music and pantomime numbers... Let us feel the charm inherent in the legendary German cabaret performances of the 1900s–1920s. Let us consider events important for understanding Germany during the period of emerging totalitarianism.
Hermann Hesse. Prose, painting, music
Let's study Hesse's creative path and the main artistic techniques of the writer. Let's see how his short prose and novels are connected. Let us understand why the book “The Glass Bead Game” was perceived as a “jewelry miracle among the trenches” and became a reference point for many generations of readers in different countries. To understand the key pages of the novel, we will use the technique of close reading, we will hear the music of Hesse’s poetry and prose in comparison with his little-known paintings.
Friedrich Durrenmatt. Swiss student of Brecht
Let us consider the foundations of the new German-language dramaturgy, which is extremely important for modern culture. We will learn about the reasons for its origin not in Germany, but in Switzerland, which gave the world two of the most significant playwrights of the second half of the twentieth century - Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Max Frisch. Let's study Dürrenmatt's famous plays - "The Old Lady's Visit" and "Romulus the Great", as well as the grandiose, timeless comedy "Hercules and the Augean Stables".
Günter Grass and modern German literature
Let's get acquainted with the central figure of modern German literature. Let's find out why Grasse gained the glory of the conscience of German culture and what controversy raged around his name. We learn about the tragic breaks in the paths that the German intelligentsia was forced to follow in the second half of the twentieth century. Let's take a closer look at Grass's poems, presented in excellent translations into Russian. Let's study the short story "Cat and Mouse" and the novel "The Tin Drum".
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