Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Course Description:
“There was never an age in human history when men did not wonder what might lie
beyond the next hill, and fill the blank spaces on their maps with marvels and terrors.
The first fantasist spun his tales squatting by a fire, as he shared a haunch of charred
mastodon with his fellows. Homer was a fantasist, and Shakespeare was another.”
-- George R.R. Martin
In this course, we will focus on the fantastic and supernatural in some of the
masterpieces of world literature that are not traditionally included in the genre of
fantasy. From Apuleius to Shakespeare, from Goethe to Borges, we will examine the
intellectual and psychological aspects of the fantastic, such as perception,
representation, self-deception, self-fulfilling prophecy, play, parody, etc. In other
words, we will look at the ways in which elements of the fantastic in some of the most
celebrated works of world literature function as “mind games” and the effect(s) that
these “games” create. In addition, we will read critical articles that will add a variety of
perspectives to our understanding of the chosen works of literature and our
discussions.
Required Texts:
Apuleius. The Golden Ass. Trans. E.J. Kenney. New York: Penguin, 1999. ISBN
0140435905
Borges, Jorge Luis. The Aleph and Other Stories. Trans. Andrew Hurley. New York:
Penguin, 2004. ISBN 0142437883.
Bulgakov, Mikhail. The Master and Margarita. Trans. Diana Burgin and Katherine
Tiernan O’Connor. New York: Vintage, 1996. ISBN 0679760806.
Calvino, Italo. The Nonexistent Knight and The Cloven Viscount. Trans. Helen and Kurt
Wolff. New York: Harcourt, 1977. ISBN 0156659751.
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von. Faust. Trans. Walter W. Arndt. Ed. Cyrus Hamlin.
(Norton Critical Editions.) New York: Norton, 2000. ISBN 0393972828.
Gaiman, Neil and Terry Pratchett. Good Omens. New York: Harper Collins, 2007. ISBN
0060853972
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Signet Classics, 1998. ISBN 0451526775.
Recommended Texts:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: Modern
Language Association of America, 2003.
Alternately, students may use any other style manual published within the last five
years. MLA format of documentation is required for all written submissions.
Grading Policy:
Students should read the assignments prior to coming to class and be thoroughly
prepared to discuss the readings in detail. Brief in-class written responses (1-2
paragraphs each) will be required several times in the semester, as well as two
analytical essays, 5-7 pages each.
Attendance: 10%
In-class Participation : 10%
In-class Responses: 20%
Midterm Paper: 30%
Final Paper: 30%
Important Policies
Attendance
Regular attendance and participation are required to succeed in this class. Each student
is granted three absence, no questions asked, but no additional absences will be excused
(except for documented outstanding circumstances, such as hospitalizations, family
deaths, etc.). Missing the first day of class counts as an absence. If you miss a class, you
automatically miss the written response for that date, as well as a lot of important
material and discussion, participation in which constitutes a considerable part of your
grade.
Participation
All interaction in class should be conducted in a respectful, scholarly manner. Students
are expected to show respect and consideration to each other, the discussed materials,
and the instructor. The participation grade is based not on how much students talk, but
on the contribution they make to the class.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures
of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the
Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI,
Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to
students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to
assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883‐ 6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity
of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission
as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
E-mail
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email
raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email
exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent
only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email
from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides
a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean
of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the
rules and regulations.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
Opportunities equal to those of their non‐ disabled peers. Disability Services is located
in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m.
The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For
example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders
or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an
oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with
mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or
university may need to provide special services such as registration, note‐ taking, or
mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to
verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals
requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during
office hours.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so
excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing
grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about
whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed
assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC
51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
Assignments and Calendar of Activities
The readings listed for each date are going to be discussed that day in class (these are
not assignments for the next class). Similarly, assignments listed for each date are due at
the beginning of class that day. Late submissions will not be accepted, except by
instructor-granted extension. Students are responsible for completing the assignments
on time and submitting papers to the instructor on the indicated due dates. In case of
any technical problems with WebCT and/or the articles available online in PDF form,
students should notify the instructor as soon as possible (before the class meets to
discuss these articles). Papers will not be accepted via e-mail (hard copies only).
January 13
Introduction to the course
January 15
Articles on WebCT: T.S. Eliot, Bakhtin, Foucault.
January 20
Plato, Critias. Online text at
http://www.online-literature.com/plato/critias/2/
January 22
Apuleius, The Golden Ass, Chapters 1-5
January 27
Apuleius, The Golden Ass, Finish
In-class critical readings
January 29
Shakespeare, Macbeth (all)
Article on WebCT: Rosenberg
February 03
Levels of the fantastic: Macbeth revisited (interpretations, influences, parodies)
February 05
Goethe, Faust. The Tragedy’s First Part. pp.
February 10
Goethe, Faust. The Tragedy’s First Part. Finish.
Schelling (in same edition), pp.555-557
February 12
Showing of Faust
February 17
Researching a paper (class meets in the lobby of the library)
February 19
WebCT: Nietzsche
February 24
WebCT: Kafka
February 26
Mid-Term Review.
Mid-Term Paper Due
March 03
Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita. Part I, Chapters I-XI
March 05
Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita. Part I, Finish
March 10
Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita. Part II, Chapters XIX-XXVI
March 12
Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita. Part II, Finish
Article on WebCT: Amusin
March 16-22
No classes, Spring Break
March 24
Borges, “The Immortal,” “The Theologians,” “Deutsches Requiem,” “The Zahir,” “The
Writing of the God,” “The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths,” “The Aleph.”
March 26
Calvino, The Nonexistent Knight pp.3-70
March 31
Calvino, The Nonexistent Knight Finish
April 2
Calvino, The Cloven Viscount (all).
April 7
WebCT: Postmodernism. In class group exercises.
April 9
Gaiman, Pratchett, Good Omens. pp. x-126
April 14
Gaiman, Pratchett, Good Omens. pp.127-188
April 16
Gaiman, Pratchett, Good Omens. pp.189-293
April 21
Gaiman, Pratchett, Good Omens. Finish
April 23
WebCT: Fantastic in Poetry
April 28
WebCT: Philosophers on the Role of the Fantastic
April 30
End-of-Term Review
Final Papers Due