135114 SE Bachelor Thesis: Mark Twain in Europe (2019S)

Mark Twain, that quintessential American writer, nonetheless wrote incessantly about Europe. His first book, The Innocents Abroad, skewered both European and American pretensions; his mid-career travel book A Tramp Abroad and his later novels The Prince and the Pauper, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc all inhabit medieval Europe; and his two years living in Vienna (1897-99) inspired not only prescient journalism like "Stiorring Times In Austria" and scathing satire like "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg," but also his unfinished final masterpiece The Mysterious Stranger, set in late medieval Austria. This seminar will explore some of Twain’s European works in the context of larger American literary imaginings of Europe.
The course will meet only four times, once monthly, so we will have to make the most of our meetings. Readings will be extensive and must be completed before the class on which they are assigned. I shall give a short quiz on the readings at the start of each class; the grades will be part of your participation percentage.

I shall lecture and there will also be periods at least one hour each class of discussion. Also, I shall ask questions of individual students to ensure that you are doing the required reading. Twain is a fascinating figure and his writing is so engaging let’s not forget to have some fun with him!

Course Calendar:
March 15:
The Innocents Abroad (a Project Gutenberg free e-text)
Required Reading: Chaps. 1-2, 12-14, 18-19, 25-28, 33-34, 40-44, 53
April 12:
A Tramp Abroad
Chaps. II-IV, XI-XIII, XLVIII-L; also Appendix D (“The Awful German Language”)

May 17:
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories (a Project Gutenberg free e-text)
"The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg"
"Concerning the Jews"
"Stirring Times in Austria"
May 31:
The Mysterious Stranger (a Project Gutenberg free e-text)
June 12:
Individual/Group student meetings