Prof. Richard
Page
Email: brp3@psu.edu, Tel. 814-863-7489
Office: 407 Burrowes Building
Office hours: Weds. 1:30-2:30, Th. 10:00-11:00, and by appointment
Texts
Nibelungenlied, Viking Penguin.
Martin Luther. Selections, Anchor Doubleday.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Sufferings of the Young Werther, Norton.
Heinrich von Kleist. Prince Friedrich von Homburg, New Directions Publishing.
Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm. The Complete Fairy Tales, vol. 1, Bantam Classic.
Karl Marx. The Communist Manifesto, Viking Penguin.
Friedrich Nietzsche. Genealogy of Morals, Doubleday.
Franz Kafka. The Complete Stories, Schocken.
Erich Maria Remarque. All Quiet on the Western Front.
Sigmund Freud. Civilization and its Discontents. Norton.
Mary Fulbrook, A Concise History of Germany, Cambridge.
Course Objective:
This course is designed to give the student an introductory overview
of German culture and its development over the span of almost two millenia.
We will discuss the major periods and representative thinkers that have
helped shape the destiny of German-speaking countries and much of Europe
as well. As Goethe noted, our views of the past are a mirror in which we
dimly see our own reflection. Serious examination of the issues raised
in this course should also result in learning something about yourself
and the world in which you live today.
Course Requirements:
Successful completion of this course requires regular attendance, preparation,
and class participation. In addition to class attendance and participation,
you must write two midterm examinations and a term paper on a topic of
your choice (approx. 12 pages).
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be familiar with and comply with Penn State's
policy on academic integrity as outlined in Faculty Senate Policy 49-20.
Academic integrity requires that all work that you sign and hand in is
in fact your work. Be sure not to plagiarize and to cite authorities you
rely upon in your research paper. If you have any questions about what
constitutes plagiarism, please contact me.
Grade Distribution
Class Attendance and Participation 20%
Term Paper 30%
2 Midterm Examinations 50%
Provisional Class Schedule
| Jan. 8 | Introduction: German Culture and Civilization; Decision-making and “The Lay of Hildebrant.” |
| Jan. 10 | Roman Remnants the Huns and the Great Migrations |
| Jan. 12 | Heroic Ideals; Charlemagne |
| Jan. 15 | Courtly Ideals |
| Jan. 17 | The Nibelungenlied; p. 17-149 |
| Jan. 19 | The Nibelungenlied; read p. 150-291 |
| Jan. 22 | The Nibelungenlied and “The Atlilied” |
| Jan. 24 | The Late Middle Ages to the Reformation Fulbrook pp.22-49 |
| Jan. 26 | Martin Luther and the Reformation; read “An Appeal tothe Ruling Class” pp. 403-431 and “The Ninety-Five Theses” pp. 489-500 |
| Jan. 29 | “The Freedom of a Christian” pp. 42-85. |
| Jan. 31 | Age of Dürer; The Visual Arts |
| Feb. 2 | Counter Reformation Thirty Years War, Fulbrook pp. 49-69. |
| Feb. 5 | Kant and the Enlightenment Fulbrook pp. 85-95 |
| Feb. 7 | Discussion: Moral dilemmas |
| Feb. 9 | Young Goethe Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress);read Book One (pp. 1-44) of The Sufferings of Young Werther. |
| Feb. 12 | The Sufferings of Young Werther; read Book Twopp. 45-96 |
| Feb. 14 | Discussion:Werther |
| Feb. 16 | The Rise of Prussia the French Revolution The NapoleonicEra. Fulbrook 70-85; 95-104. Paper topics due. |
| Feb. 19 | Heinrich von Kleist; Prince Friedrich von Homburgread acts 1-3. |
| Feb. 21 | Prince Friedrich von Homburg; read acts 4-5. |
| Feb. 23 | Midterm |
| Feb. 26 | Romanticism |
| Feb. 28 | Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales |
| March 2 | Fairy Tales |
| March 5-9 | Spring Break |
| March 12 | Karl Marx. Read The Communist Manifesto; pp.78-121 |
| March 14 | The Communist Manifesto |
| March 16 | Friedrich Nietzsche; The Genealogy of Morals; readpp. 149-188. |
| March 19 | The Genealogy of Morals; read pp. 189-230. |
| March 21 | Bismarck and The Second German Reich |
| March 23 | Franz Kafka; read “Before the Law” & “An ImperialMessage”pp. 3-5 Bibliography and abstract of paper due. |
| March 26 | Franz Kafka ; read “In the Penal Colony”pp. 140-167 |
| March 28 | Expressionist art and film |
| March 30 | The First World War |
| April 2 | Remarque; All Quiet on the Western Front |
| April 4 | All Quiet on the Western Front |
| April 6 | The Weimar Republic; Fulbrook pp. 155-172 |
| April 9 | Freud; Civilization and its Discontents |
| April 11 | Civilization and its Discontents |
| April 13 | The Fall of the Weimar Republic and the Rise of theThird Reich |
| April 16 | Review |
| April 18 | Midterm |
| April 20 | Class Presentations |
| April 23 | Class Presentations |
| April 25 | Class Presentations |
| April 27 | Class Presentations |
| May 2 | Term paper due |