German Literature (800-1700)

As a survey of medieval and early modern German literature, this seminar is reading intensive. In order to help structure reading and discussions, we will examine these texts from a variety of perspectives, especially Global Medieval Studies. Along the way we will interrogate how this literature grapples with ideas of nationhood and community, identity (race, class, gender, etc.), Otherness, and what is German. Texts include: Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, Thüring von Ringoltingen's Melusine, Grimmelshausen's Courasche, and many more.