Freud and the Literary Imagination

German 390/Comp. Lit. 396B/

CHID 498G/Engl 363B/Euro 490A

Autumn Quarter 2009

Website: http://courses.washington.edu/freudlit

Instructor: Professor Richard Gray

Office: Denny Hall 341

Office Hours: W 9:30-10:30; F 10:30-11:20, and by appt.

Tel.: 206-543-4580

e-mail: woyzeck@u.washington.edu

Teaching Assistant: Tim Coombs (tcoombs@u.washington.edu) Office: Denny Hall 236

Office Hours: T 10:30-11:20; W 10:30-11:20, and by appt.

Discussion Leaders:

Bryan Aja (bryanaja@u.washington.edu) Office: Denny Hall 253

Office Hours: W 2:30-3:30; Th 12:30-1:30.

Japhet Johnstone (japhetj@u.washington.edu) Office: Denny Hall 238

Office Hours: M 10:30-11:20; W 1:30-2:30.

Nathan Magnusson (magnun@u.washington.edu) Office: Denny Hall 238

Office Hours: M 12:30-1:30; T 11:30-12:30.

Gloria Man (luciaman@u.washington.edu) Office: Denny Hall 351C
Office Hours: T 10:30-11:20; Th 12:30-1:30.

Textbooks:

Freud, Sigmund. The Freud Reader. Ed. Peter Gay. (Norton) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Schnitzler, Arthur. Plays and Stories. Ed. Egon Schwarz. (Continuum) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Kafka, Franz. The Complete Stories. (Schocken) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Musil, Robert. Selected Writings. Ed. Burton Pike. (Continuum) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Mann, Thomas. Death in Venice and Seven Other Stories. (Vintage) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Bachmann, Ingeborg. The Book of Franza and Requiem for Fanny Goldman. (Northwestern) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

Xerox Reader: Available at Ave. Copy Shop, 4141 University Way

Optional Background Reading: Henk de Berg, Freud's Theory and Its Use in Literary and Cultural Studies Rochester: Camden House, 2003) (on 2-hour reserve in OUGL)

This course examines a set of central themes that emerge from Sigmund Freud's theories of the dream, the nature of literary creativity, the operation of the human psyche, and the substance of human culture. We will take as our starting point the hypothesis that Freud conceives the psyche as a kind of writing machine, an "author" that produces fictional narratives that share many properties with the prose fiction generated by creative writers. For this reason, our focus throughout the quarter will be restricted to prose narratives. The course will concentrate on literature produced in the wake of Freud's theories, that is, on texts that consciously or unconsciously develop Freudian ideas. The class is structured around a set of themes that will be developed on the basis of paired readings: in each case we will examine a text or excerpt from Freud's psychological works in conjunction with the reading of a literary text that exemplifies the issue or issues highlighted in Freud's theory.

Course Requirements:

1) Regular class attendance (both lecture and Thursday discussion section; the Tuesday writing workshops are voluntary, but highly recommended).

2) Short writing assignments for discussion sessions: Prior to discussion sessions, you will be given a sheet with a series of study questions. These are intended to help you conceptualize and organize the problems raised by the text or texts under discussion that week. Prior to discussion section, you will be prompted to write a brief (ca. 150-200 words) essay or position paper on a topic from this list or a related question.

3) Active participation in discussion sections.

4) One 7-8 pp. (ca. 2000 word) Mid-Term Paper. Topic: A Freudian Analysis of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis (in: The Complete Stories, 89-139). This paper should concentrate on a specific Freudian problematic as exemplified in Kafka's tale. The Tuesday writing workshops during the first half of the quarter will be designed to help you grapple with this text and learn strategies for writing about Freudian themes and ideas. Mid-term papers can (but need not be) re-written. The original grade and that of the re-write will be averaged to obtain the composite grade for this assignment.

5) One 7-8 pp. (ca 2000 word) Final Paper on a specific Freudian problematic as exemplified in a literary or cinematic narrative of the student's own choosing. The paper should pursue an analysis based on a specific Freudian theme—preferably one from the second half of the quarter. Paper topics should be discussed ahead of time with the Instructor or your discussion leader, or with the TA during the Tuesday writing workshop. The workshops in the last half of the quarter will be geared toward helping you formulate topics and develop your final papers.

Grading:

Class Participation (in discussion section) 15%

Short Writing Assignments 15%

Mid-Term Paper 35%

Final Paper 35%

Note: Reading assignments should be prepared prior to the class meeting on the day for which they are listed.

WEEK ONE

Sept. 30: Introduction: Why Freud?

Oct. 1: Discussion: Organization of Groups; Opening Thoughts (Writing Assignment 1).

Theme 1: The Psyche as Writing Machine; Dreams as Texts

Oct. 2: The Unconscious and Dreams: "A Note on the Mystic Writing-Pad" (Course Reader); Freud on Dream Theory, Freud Reader, 129-172.
[Recommended background reading: de Berg, Freud's Theory, 17-30.]

WEEK TWO

Oct. 5: Freud on Dream Theory: Freud Reader, 129-172 (cont.).

[Oct. 6: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Oct. 7: Schnitzler, Lieutenant Gustl, in: Plays and Stories, pp. 249-79.

Oct. 8: Discussion: The "Truth" of Dreams; The Lies of Gustl (Writing Assignment 2).

Oct. 9: Schnitzler, Lieutenant Gustl, in: Plays and Stories, pp. 249-79 (cont.).

WEEK THREE

Theme 2: Freud's Understanding of Literary Creativity

Oct. 12: Freud, "Creative Writers and Day-Dreaming," Freud Reader, 436-443.

[Oct. 13: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Oct. 14: Freud, "The Theme of the Three Caskets," Freud Reader, 514-22.

Oct. 15: Discussion: The "Unconscious" as the Source of Artistic Creativity (Writing 3).

Oct. 16: Kafka, "A Country Doctor," Complete Stories, 220-225.

WEEK FOUR

Oct. 19: Kafka, "A Country Doctor," Complete Stories, 220-225 (cont.).

[Oct. 20: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Theme 3: The Oedipus Complex

Oct. 21: Freud on the Oedipus Complex, Freud Reader, 640-645; "The Dissolution of the Oedipus Complex," Freud Reader, 661-666.
[Recommended background reading: de Berg, Freud's Theory, 73-91.]

Oct. 22: Discussion: Kafka's "A Country Doctor" (Writing 4).

Oct. 23: Freud on the Oedipus Complex, Freud Reader, 640-645; "The Dissolution of the Oedipus Complex," Freud Reader, 661-666 (cont.).

WEEK FIVE

Oct. 26: Kafka, "The Judgment," Complete Stories, 77-88.

[Oct. 27: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Oct. 28: Kafka, "The Judgment," Complete Stories, 77-88 (cont.).

Oct. 29: Discussion: Oedipal Revolt in Kafka's "Judgment" (Writing 5)

Theme 4: Eros and Thanatos: The Union of Love and Death

Oct. 30: Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud Reader, 722-772.

[Recommended background reading: de Berg, Freud's Theory, 49-69.]

WEEK SIX

Nov. 2: Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud Reader, 722-772 (cont.).
[Recommended background reading: de Berg, Freud's Theory, 109-132.]

[Nov. 3: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Nov. 4: Screening, Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice.

Nov. 5: Kafka's "Metamorphosis": (Writing: Mid-Term Paper Project Summaries)

Nov. 6: Screening, Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice.

Friday, Nov 6: Mid-Term Paper Due

WEEK SEVEN

Nov. 9: Mann, Death in Venice, in: Death in Venice and Seven Other Stories, pp. 3-73.

[Nov. 10: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Nov. 11: Veterans Day: No Class

Nov. 12: Discussion: The Union of Love and Death in Death in Venice (Writing 6)

Nov. 13: Mann, Death in Venice, in: Death in Venice and Seven Other Stories, pp. 3-73 (cont.).

WEEK EIGHT

Theme 5: Repression and Social (Dis)order

Nov. 16: Musil, Young Torless, in: Selected Writings, 1-175.

[Nov. 17: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Nov. 18: Musil, Young Torless, in: Selected Writings, 1-175 (cont.).

[Nov. 12: Re-Writes of Mid-Term Papers Due, for those who choose this option.]

Nov. 19: Discussion: Sexuality, Repression, Civilization: Musil's Torless (Writing 7)

Nov. 20: Musil, Young Torless, in: Selected Writings, 1-175 (cont.).

WEEK NINE

Theme 6: The Uncanny and the Literary Fantastic

Nov. 23: Freud, "The Uncanny," (Reader).
[Recommended background reading: de Berg, Freud's Theory, 96-108.]

[Nov. 24: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Nov. 25: Freud, "The Uncanny," (cont.); Hofmannsthal, "A Tale of the Cavalry" (Reader).

[Thanksgiving Holiday]

WEEK TEN

Nov. 30: Hofmannsthal, "A Tale of the Cavalry" (cont.)

[Dec. 1: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Theme 7: Freud and Women: Neurosis and Sexuality

Dec. 2: Freud, "Aetiology of Hysteria," Freud Reader, 96-111; "Fragments of an Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (Dora)," Freud Reader, 177-206; 220-239.

Dec. 3: Discussion: The Uncanny and Hofmannsthal's "Tale" (Writing 8).

Dec. 4: Freud, "Aetiology of Hysteria," Freud Reader, 96-111; "Fragments of an Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (Dora)," Freud Reader, 177-206; 220-239 (cont.)

WEEK ELEVEN

Dec. 7: Bachmann, The Book of Franza.

[Dec. 8: Voluntary Writing Workshop; Denny Hall 308 (Rey Library)]

Dec. 9: Bachmann, The Book of Franza (cont.).

Dec. 10: Discussion: The Franza "Case"? (Writing 9)

Dec. 11: Bachmann, The Book of Franza (cont.). Concluding Thoughts

Final Papers Due: Mon., Dec. 14, 10 AM, Denny Hall 341

(or submitted as e-mail attachment to your discussion leader).