GERM 422 - Heinrich von Kleist: The Psychology of Comedy and Despair

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
A study of Kleist’s novellas and dramas within the context of his enigmatic person and the psychology of his writings. Was he a Romantic or a Classic? A conservative or a liberal? What are the features that complicate his writing? Why his seeming obsession with violence juxtaposed with moments of stasis and passivity? Within this context, the course will focus on both thematic and structural features of Kleist’s works.

Prerequisites: One 300 level GERM course or upper-level fluency in German.