German Literature in English Translation

Fall, 2002
Armitage 201
MWF 10:10-11:05

Professor James Rushing, Dept. of Foreign Languages
Office: 470 Armitage Hall
Phone: 225-6125, 225-6136; (609) 714-9566
E-mail: rushing@camden.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: 

Goals: Students will

• increase their ability to read, understand, interpret, and discuss literary texts,
• gain a familiarity with and an understanding of selected major literary works of the German Middle Ages, together with a knowledge of the historical and cultural background
• improve their ability to develop and communicate ideas and arguments about complex  topics.

Grading:

• Essay tests and/or papers, including final       60% 
• Shorter assignments, reading quizzes, etc.     40%

Attendance is required: for every absence over four, two points will be deducted from the final average; for every absence over six, three points will be subtracted.
Plagiarism is a serious offence and will be treated as such. A simple definition of plagiarism is that it is any use of the words or ideas of another person without clear citation and attribution. 
 

Schedule
Please check this website regularly for updates.
Click on the links for background information and aids to reading.

Wed., Sept. 4  Introduction
Fri., Sept. 6     Heroic Song (see manuscript of Hildebrandslied; hear part of it read aloud in Old High German)
Mon., Sept. 9  Heroic Song
Wed., Sept. 11-Mon., Sept. 23 Nibelungenlied
Wed., Sept. 25- Fri., Oct. 4 Nibelungen films.
Fri., Oct. 11      First major test
Mon., Oct. 14-Mon., Nov. 11   Hartmann von Aue, Erec, Iwein, Poor Henry, Gregorius.

Wed., Nov. 13  Second major "test": essays due
                          Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival  15-16 (Prologue)
                        Brief plot summary of Parzival.

NOTE ON PARZIVAL READING QUESTIONS: Everyone must turn in answers to one set of reading questions on Parzival. If you turn in more than one, the extra grades will be applied first to replacing any zeros in the "shorter assignments" category, and then to replacing any low grades. However, no more than three sets of Parzivalreading question will be graded. If you wish to turn in additional sets, just for writing practice, I will be glad to comment on them for you.

Fri., Nov. 15     Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 16-69 (Bks 1-2). 
                        Reading questions.
Mon., Nov. 18  Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 70-119 (Bks 3-4)
                        Reading questions. 
Wed., Nov. 20  Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 120-175 (Bks 5-6)
                        Reading questions.
Fri., Nov. 22     Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 176-255 (Bks 7-9)
                        Reading questions.
Mon., Nov. 25  Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 256-339 (Bks 10-13)
Wed., Nov. 27  Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival 340-411 (Bks 14-16)
                          Reading questions / writing assignment.
Fri., Nov. 29     Thanksgiving Holiday
Mon., Dec. 2    Wolfram von Eschenbach, Willehalm
Wed., Dec. 4    Wolfram von Eschenbach, Willehalm
Fri., Dec. 6       Wolfram von Eschenbach, Willehalm through at least 88
Mon., Dec. 9    Wolfram von Eschenbach, Willehalm through 179
Wed., Dec. 11  Wolfram von Eschenbach, Willehalm to end
 

Resources

• Bibliographies and on-line literature

• Paul Robeson Library
• MLA Bibliography This is the place to start searches for topics in literature and language.
• JSTOR A database of actual journal articles online, from several major journals in the humanities, as well as other fields.