Universität Wien

123221 SE Literature Seminar / BA Paper / MA American/North American Lit./Studies (2012W)

Humor and Satire in North American Literatures

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work

Englisch

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 18 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 09.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 16.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 23.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 30.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 06.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 13.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 20.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 27.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 04.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 11.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 18.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 08.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 15.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 22.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Tuesday 29.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The aim of the seminar is to explore variants of North American humor from the late 18th to the early 21st century. Early verse satire and satirical representations of Federal society will be analyzed as well as regional humor involving con men in colonial British North America. Tall tales in the pre-Civil War Old Southwest will also be studied. As the arrival of hundreds of thousands of European immigrants in the late 19th century fostered the development of ethnic humor, examples of this variant will also be included in our program.

Similarly, the vitality of humor as practiced by Southern writers in the 20th century will be discussed, and examples of manifestations of urban humor practiced by Jewish-American writers will be on the agenda in the seminar.

Finally, texts by representatives of indigenous humor and by other authors from Canada will be part of the program.

Assessment and permitted materials

Seminar paper (20-25 pages), oral presentation, active class participation, two reports on sessions, regular attendance, final written test.

Attention: Theses for BA degrees need to comprise approx. 35 pages.

A list of topics for seminar papers has been prepared and volunteers for the first sessions are invited to see me in my office hours during the vacations or register with team members in the Canadian Studies Center.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Familiarizing the participants with the full range of humor and satire reflected in a variety of texts from the cultural history of the US and Canada. Regional and ethnic variants in the response to challenges and problems in a society in transit will be considered.

Examination topics

Student presentations of the research papers, general discussion of the examples illustrating the vitality of the traditions of humor in North American Literatures.

Reading list

A reader has been prepared and will be available at the Canadian Studies Center and/or CopyStudio (Schwarzspanierstraße) as of July 23, 2012.

A reserved shelf will be provided in the Departmental Library.

Association in the course directory

Studium: Diplom 343, UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: Diplom 322, UF 4.2.4-322, BA10.2, MA5, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0264

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33