Universität Wien

135811 SE MA-SE: The (literary) work (2025S)

9.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 13 - Europäische und Vergleichende Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Th 08.05. 11:30-13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG

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. 20 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 06.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 13.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 20.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 27.03. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 03.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 10.04. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 15.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 22.05. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 05.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 12.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Thursday 26.06. 11:30 - 13:00 Seminarraum 2 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This seminar is dedicated to a term and a concept - the German word ‘Werk’ -, which conceals an ambiguity that can be broken down by synonyms such as ‘opus’, ‘oeuvre’ or specific terms such as ‘novel’, ‘painting’ or ‘composition’. Therefore, this description in English cannot be exactly equivalent. The class is mainly, but not exclusively, about literature, because the term ‘work’ is just as much at home in the visual arts, music, cinematography, etc. The aim will therefore be to explore how this category conditions our view of (all) the arts. The following ‘chapters’ are proposed as central points of view:
- The great work (as opposed to small opuscula)
- The lasting work (as opposed to fleeting performance)
- The completed work (as opposed to the fragment)
- The life's work (oeuvre)
- The large work as a genre format (long novels, cycles)
- Counts of works (‘opus xy’) and catalogues raisonnés
- The work as a monument
- Materiality and economy of the work
- The life-work biography
- Prizes (awards) for works or oeuvre
- Work behaviour of men/women and work assessment on men/ women
- Juvenile work vs. mature work
- The relationship between life and work as the subject of texts
- The work as a category in the historiography of the arts
- The verbal (‘create’, ‘creator’) and metaphorical (‚torso‘, ‘lighthouse’ etc.) dimension of the concept of work

Assessment and permitted materials

The exact coordination of session topics takes place after an initial overview of registrations. I have recently had good experiences with short (!) impulse contributions that comprised exactly 10 ppt slides in exactly 10 minutes. This could also be a model for this seminar.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Attendance in accordance with study regulations, participation, writing exercises if necessary, presentation, written term paper.

Examination topics

Grading is based on active participation, the accompanying short presentation and finally a written assignment of 20-25 pages.

Reading list

A bibliographic list will be posted on Moodle right at the beginning of the seminar.

Association in the course directory

MA M1

Last modified: Mo 03.03.2025 17:06