English 163S - Spring, 2011

Literary Study in the British Isles

Class Information

Description

London as a modern city is the focus of this course. What “modern” means is one of the issues to be discussed. How London compares with other major modern cities, especially New York, Los Angeles, and Berlin is another issue. The question each of you will try to answer has two parts. One is, how do contemporary humans “make a living” in modern cities, when “make a living” is used in an ecological sense and includes the emotional, the intellectual, and the economic. Two is, how do you, as a student in this class, doing an internship in London, on a quarter abroad program from UC Davis “make a living” in modern London.

We will read three books:
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The Hours by Michael Cunningham
What I Saw: Reports from Berlin 1920-1933 by Joseph Roth
and see two movies:
Mrs. Dalloway starring Vanessa Redgrave
The Hours starring Meryl Streep et al

I strongly recommend that you see the two movies before leaving for London. I do not know how easily it will be to see them once there. Probably not a problem, but could be.

Instruction will include excursions (alone and in small groups) and class meetings. You will be asked to write papers about your excursions modeled on the writings of Joseph Roth. Roth is described by literary critics as a “flaneur.” We will ask you to become “flaneurs” in London (and perhaps in other British, Irish, and European cities, if you travel to them). What a flaneur is and does will be a major topic for class discussion.

We have not yet decided on the number and length of the papers. There will be an in-class final exam, or perhaps a take-home.

Grading

Grades will be based roughly on the following:
25% class participation (which includes excursions in London)
25% final exam
50% papers

Texts

Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
The Hours, Michael Cunningham
What I Saw, Joseph Roth