In this seminar, we will analyze representations of violence in American literature and film in order to be able to understand the fascination with violence as well as the harsh critique of violence in film and fiction. The seminar will explore the influential role of representations of violence and the interconnectedness of these representations with American history and culture. It can be argued that violence lies at the core of American history, and the development and expansion of the U.S. territory and society has closely been interconnected to violence. Literary representations from captivity narratives, stories of Westward expansion to present day fiction often focus on representations of violence and fictionalize diverse conflicts: encounters between settlers and Native Americans, to racial conflicts and gender inequality, etc. Students will be introduced to theoretical concepts and key ideas which will help the discussion of representations of violence critically (for example Richard Slotkin’s argument of the development of the American nation as a form of ”regeneration through violence”). Our primary material will include several short stories as well as Cormac McCarthy’s novel Blood Meridian. Concerning filmic representations of violence, we will discuss the Coen brothers’ movie No Country for Old Men and David Milch’s TV series Deadwood.
Please buy Cormac McCarthy’s novel in the following edition:
McCarthy, Cormac. Blood Meridian. London: Picador, 2015. ISBN: 978-1447289456
The short stories as well as a selection of secondary material will be made available in form of a reader.
Requirements: Class participation, including reading assignments and discussion, a short presentation in class and a seminar paper. |
