123231 AR Literature Course (interactive) (2013S)

With Oscar Wilde's reinvention as 'Our Contemporary' and easily adaptable pop-cultural icon in the last two decades, the author's well-loved society comedies have invited a broad range of textual and theatrical reinterpretations. This class will focus on contemporary stage productions of Wilde's classic conversation plays, in particular the Austrian Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek's recent adaptations of The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband, both of which amount to a 'Jelinekisation' of Wilde's comic masterpieces. While the 'punchline pornography' of Ernst ist das Leben (prem. Akademietheater, 2005) foregrounds the play's presumed (homo)erotic subtext, Der ideale Mann (prem. Akademietheater, 2011) contains unmistakable references to the Austrian political landscape and its recent banking and corruption scandals.

As part of this course, we will see a performance of Der ideale Mann at the Burgtheater on Monday, 18 March, 7.30 pm - attendance is compulsory and will be the basis of our classroom discussions and course assignments!

Please note that this class will be 'blocked' and only meets on the following dates: 13 March (15.00-15.45), 10 April, 24 April, 22 May, 5 June, 19 June (14.15-15.45), 26 June (15.00-15.45)