Class Schedule (with topics by session):
Note: Read the novels at your own pace, but it's best to begin early. Start with Stoker. Looking for an Honors topic? Check here.
Week 1. 8/20 Introduction to course: discussion of the syllabus and schedule. Problems of definition: what is a werewolf? A vampire? Terminology. Geography, ethnic identity, migration. General introduction to Slavic and East European cultures (geography, ethnicity, religious beliefs). Slavic mythology and folklore. Real historical figures. Reading for 8/27: J. Machal, “Slavic Mythology” (CN) and “The Story of Dracula” (CN). Links. Films: Decoding the Past: Vampire Secrets (History Channel). PPT First writing assignment (due next week).
Week 2. 8/27 Last week's documentary. Reading assignment: Slavic mythology and supernatural entities. Belief systems in conflict: "Paganism," Christianity, and Religious Dualism (Dvoeverie). Vlad the Impaler and Erzsebet Bathory. Discussion of vampire epidemic texts (last week's Links). More links. Reading for 9/10: Gogol's "Viy" (CN). Film: excerpts from Leptirica and Viy. Second writing assignment. PPT
Week 3. T. 9/10 The historical werewolf and the historical vampire: Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. Explaining belief systems. Discussion of Gogol's "Vij." Extra reading: Lastovo Island vampires (from Jan Perkowski, The Darkling [Columbus OH: Slavic, 1989], 85-98). Reading for 9/17: “The Werewolf’s Daughter” (Slovakia) and “The Legend of Peter Stubbe” (Germany) . Film: Viy. PPT
Week 4. 9/17 Introduction to the literary vampire: German and Slavic tales; late 18th century poetry (Goethe). Werewolf stories. Continue discussion of Gogol's "Vij" and the Romantic context. Reading for 9/24: John Polidori, ”The Vampyre” and the Byron selection (CN); Aleksei Tolstoi's “The Family of the Vurdalak.” Links to "Wedding Guests" and "Bucket of Blood" (Russian folklore). Film: Viy; films on Tolstoi's story. PPT New (3rd) writing assignment.
Week 5. 9/24. More on the Romantics: European and Russian literary examples. Links. Films: more versions of the Vurdalak; the Nosferatu films. Links. Reading for 10/1: J. Sheridan Le Fanu, “Carmilla” (CN). Keep reading Stoker's Dracula. Study Guide for first exam. PPT
Week 6. 10/1 FIRST EXAM. Discussion of 19th century transformations of the vampire, e.g., the “new woman” invading the empire (gender and nation in the Victorian age). The vampire as threat to the family and morality. Links. Reading for 10/8: keep reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. No writing assignment this week. Check out this short reading from Croatia for next week. Film: Herzog's Nosferatu and Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. PPT
Week 7. 10/8 More on Carmilla, female vampirism, femmes fatales and lesbians. More on Stoker and his novel: Victorian science and technology. Reading for 10/15: Stoker, continued. Film: Coppola continued. PPT New writing assignment (4th).
FIRST EXAM SCORES available on D2L. Click here for more information.
Week 8. 10/15 Final words on Stoker's Dracula: Interpretations. Reading for 10/22: Rice, The Vampire Armand. Film: the cinematic progeny (clips from several Browning and Badham vampire films); PPT Additional readings for next week ("Little Red Riding Hood" versions).
Week 9. 10/22. Reading for 10/29: Kitzberg “The Werewolf.” (CN). Rice continued. Film: Near Dark. Writing assignment #5 (due 10/29). PPT
Week 10. 10/29 Kitzberg's werewolf. The 20th century transformation of the vampire: ethnic other, evil, or object of desire? Rice and her Vampire Chronicles. Reading for 11/5: Continue Rice; Lee, “Wolfland.” (CN) Film: Near Dark, and excerpts from films with werewolves. PPT
Week 11. 11/5 Lee's "Wolfland"--revisiting and refashioning the Gothic tradition. Discussion Armand's Slavic roots: Anne Rice’s 15th century Ukraine and Byzantium. Read and finish Rice by Exam time (two more weeks)! Rice and Jordan commentary on Interview with a Vampire; Film: . Study Guide for Exam 2 (posted by 11/13) PPT
Week 12. 11/19 SECOND EXAM Understanding the Vampire Chronicles (Beethoven clip). Reading for 11/26: V. Pelevin, “A Werewolf Problem in Central Russia.” (CN) Film: Company of Wolves. Writing assignment #6 (due 11/26).
Week 13. 11/26 The Cold War: interpreting Pelevin. Contemporary folktales. Refiguring the feminine. Read Russell's "Sanguinarius" (CN). Film: Company of Wolves and American Werewolf in London. PPT
Week 14. 12/3 Television
variations: Buffy, teenage werewolves and vampires, and others: assorted film
clips. Understanding adolescence (clips from Lost Boys). Explaining
vampirism and shift-changing;
explaining the appeal. Writing assignment #7 (part of final exam on 12/12).
Review. PPT
Optional Review Session on November 11 at 5pm in Education 353.
Note: No classes on September 3 and November 12 (UA holidays).
Wednesday 12/12 FINAL EXAM 2pm-4 pm