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Lecturer(s)
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Livingstone David, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Siedloczek Marian, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Roztočil Tomáš, Mgr.
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Woock Elizabeth Allyn, Mgr. PhD.
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Jařab Josef, prof. PhDr. CSc.
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Janebová Markéta, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Faces of Evil (spring 2025) ?The most intriguing character in Paradise Lost, as we all know from our reading, is Satan. Now, was Milton trying to tell us that being bad is more fun than being good?? (Donald Sutherland in National Lampoon Animal House) The question how evil entered the world is one of the oldest and most persistent topics in literature. But while literary texts were supposed not only to teach and offer moral guidance to their respective readerships but also to entertain, villains were, and are, frequently far more interesting and fascinating than the rather bland and virtuous heroes and heroines. This seminar will offer a survey of evil in the history of British and American literature with special consideration of the religious, philosophical, legal, medical, scientific and not least aesthetic concepts which inform the literary depiction of evil throughout the ages. In the first section we will first try to establish a general understanding of the concept of evil. We will then discuss: Shakespeare?s Richard III Act I, Milton?s Paradise Lost Book 1+2, and From the Newgate Calendar: ?Jonathan Wild? (one of the most infamous criminals in the early 18th century). The rest of the syllabus will be decided on in the first session. Here is a list of further books, some of which we may choose to read ? though others are also possible: John Polidori: The Vampyre (definitely) Excerpts from the Marquis de Sade, Dickens, Balzac, Dostoevski Cynthia Ozick, ?The Shawl? Martin Amis: Time?s Arrow Alan Moore: The Killing Joke (Batman) Patricia Highsmith: The Talented Mr. Ripley Thomas Harris Red Dragon or Val McDermid The Mermaids Singing The rest of the syllabus will be decided on in the first session.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
- Preparation for the Course Credit
- 10 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 60 hours per semester
- Semestral Work
- 10 hours per semester
- Attendace
- 20 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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KAL1, spring semester2024/25, Faces of Evil, prof. Dirk Vanderbeke, block course 6-7 March 2025, 3-4 April 2025, 24-25 April 2025 (2 sessions on Thursdays 15-18.15, 2 sessions on Fridays 9.45-13.00) Only students who have taken the Introduction to the Study of Literature (or an equivalent) are eligible. Curriculum The question how evil entered the world is one of the oldest and most persistent topics in literature. But while literary texts were supposed not only to teach and offer moral guidance to their respective readerships but also to entertain, villains were, and are, frequently far more interesting and fascinating than the rather bland and virtuous heroes and heroines. This seminar will offer a survey of evil in the history of British and American literature with special consideration of the religious, philosophical, legal, medical, scientific and not least aesthetic concepts which inform the literary depiction of evil throughout the ages. The texts will be provided before the beginning of the semester. Credits will be obtained by writing a short term paper (6-8 pages), The use of AI is not permitted.
Students will develop their literary interpretation skills and gain knowledge in the field of genre fiction and culture.
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Prerequisites
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Spoken and written English (B2-C1) and the interest in fiction.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written exam, Essay, Analysis of Creative works (Music, Pictorial,Literary)
Credit requirements: attendance, active participation, reading, essay
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Recommended literature
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(1970). Fifty years of the American short story: from the O. Henry Awards 1919-1970.
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Greil Marcus and Werner Sollors, eds. (2009). A New Literary History of America.
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Martin Scofield. (2006). The Cambridge Introduction to the American Short Story. New York.
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