AREAS OF INQUIRY
Department:
CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
MCLL
Course Number:
MLAN 203
Course Name: INTO THE WOODS:
THE EUROPEAN FOLKTALE TRADITION
This form must be submitted to the Faculty Council on Liberal Learning and Academic Life as part of the
submission process.
Please attach a proposed syllabus for this course and the Undergraduate Curriculum Course Proposal Form.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: 16 September 2005
Please answer the following questions:
Check Only One:
 This course is an existing course (in the current curriculum) that we are now proposing for this Area of
Inquiry.
X This is a new course that we are now proposing for this Area of Inquiry.
1. Name and contact information for the department chair administrating this course.
Danielle Velardi
dcahill@cnu.edu
4-7107
2. In any given semester, how many sections of this course is your department willing to offer?
We propose that this course be offered once every fourth semester (spring semester every
other year)
3. Why is this course being offered/what is it designed to achieve (Course purpose/goal)?
This course will expose students to the folktale tradition and encourage them to think
critically about a genre that is often regarded as serving solely as entertainment for
children. Students will learn of the historical and cross-cultural currents that influenced
the creation and dissemination of folktales. In addition, the course will encourage
students to engage with folklore creatively, by allowing them the opportunity to continue
the storytelling tradition, revising existing tales and writing stories of their own.
4. Check the objectives below that the course will address. The first objective is required and every
proposal must include at least one more objective from the list below.
X Examine selected example(s) of creative expression in terms of artistic, philosophical, cultural
and/or psychological issues (required)
 Discuss the life of creative expressions and/or their originators
X Compare the role and/or meaning of creative expressions among cultures and/or historical periods
X Distinguish multiple approaches toward comprehending, creating, and evaluating creative works
 Apply technical language in developing original ideas or argument
 Demonstrate skills necessary to produce works of creative expression
5. Briefly explain how this class addresses the above objectives. A course may cover more than two
objectives.
a.) Examine selected examples of creative expression in terms of artistic, philosophical, cultural
and/or psychological issues.
Students will examine a wide variety of folktales as manifested in genres from the past and
the present, including written stories, poetry, cartoons, radio performances, and film
adaptations. They will also learn to recognize the developmental trajectories of the heroes
and heroines of these tales as fantastical, non-mimetic representations of their own
experiences.
b) Compare the role and/or meaning of creative expressions among cultures and/or historical periods.
In addition to learning more about the biographies of the storytellers behind well-known folk
and fairy tales, students will learn to analyze the effects of historical and cultural factors on
the creation and transmission of these tales.
c) Distinguish multiple approaches toward comprehending, creating, and evaluating creative works
Students will also examine and learn to apply various analytical methods to evaluate and
understanding the tales encountered in the course. We will begin by exploring different
attempts to classify folktales, and move to psychoanalytical, anthropological, historical, and
feminist (psychoanalytical, feminist, historical, economic, etc.)
6. Course Assessment: Identify how this course will accomplish the above objectives (choose at
least one).
X Participating in class discussion and debate
X Engaging in teamwork and other collaborative exercises
X Writing analytical or evaluative papers, perhaps incorporating original research
 Making oral presentations
X Creating an artistic product or a performance
 Participating in fieldwork
 Other means – please identify
7. Attach a proposed syllabus, which includes a statement of purpose, course objectives, and how these
objectives will be accomplished.
Please see attached.
8. Please identify and explain if this course contributes to the Foundations of Liberal Learning
expectations for:
 Oral Communication Literacy:
The course will offer students the opportunity to hone their oral communication
skills. Students will be expected to participate actively in class and group
discussions, demonstrating their comprehension of and engagement with the
course materials, and their ability to communicate their ideas with others.
 Information Literacy:
 Writing Literacy:
In addition to completing informal and semi-formal writing assignments as
homework, students will write a formal midterm analytical paper in which
they demonstrate their critical thinking skills by analyzing a modern film or
book adaptation of a traditional folk or fairy tale. In addition, students will
have the opportunity to creatively apply knowledge gained in the course in
offering their own revision of a folk or fairy tale.
9. Explain how this course connects to Vision 2010 – the CNU Strategic Plan.
One of the central goals of CNU’s Vision 2010 is to help our students to become
“responsible leaders and citizens in their communities, the nation and the world.” This
course, because of its essentially international and cross-cultural focus, will help fulfill
this goal by encouraging students to understand other cultures and peoples and thus
become better global citizens.
Submission Checklist:
By the deadline, submit a packet with the following documents to the Assistant Dean for Liberal
Learning. Please submit in electronic and hard copy form.
_____ Area of Inquiry Course Proposal Form
_____ Syllabus for the Course
_____ Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
MLAN 203
INTO THE WOODS:
THE EUROPEAN FOLKTALE TRADITION
CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY
SPRING SEMESTER 2007
Instructor:
Dr. Alicia Carter
Office:
Commonwealth Hall, Room 13
594-7327
alicia.carter@cnu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS:
The goal of this course is to study the Grimm brothers’
tales, their historical background and significance, and the
broader European/world context in which to place them.
We will also examine the relationship between storytellers
and their intended audiences (including in literature and
film), explore the concept of children’s literature and its
influence upon our understanding of childhood, and
consider how folk- and literary fairy tales continue today in shaping us and our perception of the
worlds around us. Finally, we will examine fairy tales, both original stories and revisions of
traditional tales, in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
In addition to the goals listed above, at the end of the course, students will be able to
1.
Examine, discuss, and compare folktales from a variety of European cultures and traditions. This will be
accomplished through individual readings and within class and group discussions.
2.
Analyze the role of individual storytellers – from Boccaccio to the Grimms in shaping our perceptions of
folk- and fairy tales, and learn to recognize their individual styles and historical motivations. Students will
demonstrate their comprehension of these influences in homework, quizzes, and in a comparative midterm
writing assignment analyzing a film or book adaptation of a folk- or fairy tale.
3.
Demonstrate skills necessary to produce their own works of creative expression. In addition to individual
creative revisions of existing fairy tales, students will work together to create a fairy tale-themed
newspaper, The “Once Upon a Times.”
REQUIRED TEXTS:
The Classic Fairy Tales, ed. Maria Tatar
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel, Louise Murphy.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR/ LINKS TO CLASS READINGS:
1. On Class WebCT Site * WHEN REQUESTED, YOU ARE TO PRINT THESE OUT AND BRING
THEM TO CLASS FOR DISCUSSION
Giambattista Basile, “The Cat Cinderella,” “Ninnillo and Nennella” and “Sun, Moon and Talia,”
The Great Fairy Tale Tradition (New York: Norton, 2001),
Robert Bly, “The Pillow and the Key” and “When One Hair Turns Gold,” Iron John: A Book About Men
(Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1990).
A.S. Byatt, “The Story of the Eldest Princess,” The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye: Five Fairy Stories (New
York: Random House, 1994)
Joseph Campbell, “The Hero and the God,” The Hero With a Thousand Faces (Princeton: Bollington, 1973).
Elisabeth Ebeling, “Black and White: a Fairy Tale,” The Queen’s Mirror: Fairy Tales by German Women,
1780-1900, ed. and trans. by Shawn C. Jarvis and Jeannine Blackwell (Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, 2001).
Steven Swann Jones, “The Folklore Origin and the Definition of the Fairy Tale,” The Fairy Tale:
The Magic Mirror of Imagination (New York: Twayne, 1995).
Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Poacher,” The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, Volume 7, ed. Ellen
Datlow and Terri Windling (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994).
Max Lüthi, “Depthlessness,” The European Folktale: Form and Nature, trans. John D.
Niles (Philadelphia: ISHI, 1982)
Jane Yolen, “America’s Cinderella,” Cinderella: A Casebook, ed. Alan Dundes (Madison: U of Wisconsin
Press, 1988).
Jack Zipes, “Cross-Cultural Connections and the Contamination of the Classical Fairy Tale,” The
Great Fairy Tale Tradition (New York: Norton, 2001).
Jack Zipes, “Reviewing and Re-Framing Little Red Riding Hood,” The Trials and Tribulations
of Little Red Riding Hood,” ed. Jack Zipes (New York: Routledge, 1993).
2. Other Useful Folktale Websites
D.L. Ashliman, Grimm Brothers’ Home Page (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm.html)
D.L. Ashliman, Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html)
SurLaLune Fairy Tale Pages (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/)
POLICIES:
1. Turn off all cell phones before class.
2. Attendance is required. With the exception of extracurricular activities (e.g.,
participation in athletic events), religious observances, serious illness, or other
documented reasons, your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade for every 4
(four) unexcused absences. Excused absences must be supported with written
documentation from a physician, officer of the court, law enforcement official, or other
appropriate authority as your professor deems appropriate on a case-by-case basis. In
case of absence, the student is responsible for any work missed. Two late arrivals of 10
minutes or more to class will also count as an absence.
3. I do not accept email submissions of papers. You are also responsible of turning in each
stage of the writing assignment in class the day it is due. Your paper will automatically
be docked one letter grade if you do not have it with you in class that day, and one further
letter grade for each day it is late after that.
4. You are expected to take quizzes when they are scheduled. If circumstances arise that
prevent you from doing so, you must obtain my permission to reschedule the quiz in
advance and you must make up the quiz within three days.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
10%
Daily attendance, including thorough preparation for and participation in class and group discussions.
15%
Homework, both questions to readings and short writing assignments.
20%
Five short quizzes, covering material from class: these will be a mix of short answer and identification
questions.
12%
Midterm comparative writing assignment (4-5 pages): an analysis of a film adaptation of
a fairy tale (not a film we have watched in class); you may also analyze a book
adaptation.
15%
A creative writing assignment: rewrite an existing fairy tale. (5-7 pages)
13%
Class creative project – The “Once Upon a Times,” in which, as a class, we will create a fairy tale-theme
newspaper. More details to be announced.
15%
A final exam consisting of short answer, identification and essay questions.
TENTATIVE TIMETABLE OF ASSIGNMENTS AND TOPICS:
WEEK 1:
M:
Introduction to course and materials; Joseph Campbell: “The Hero’s Journey” (video
excerpts);
W:
1) On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Joseph Campbell selection from The Hero
With a Thousand Faces to review main points from the video.
2) On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Jones’ “The Folklore Origin and the
Definition of the Fairy Tale”; answer assigned questions (see WebCT Assignments)
F:
1) In CFT, read Vladimir Propp, “Folklore and Literature” and From “Morphology of the
Folktale” (pp. 378-387); be familiar with the most salient points.
2) Read Charles Perrault’s “Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper”
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html), and the Grimms’ “Little Red Cap”
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html#grimm or Classic Fairy Tales (CFT) 13-16)
and “Hansel and Gretel” (http://www.mordent.com/folktales/grimms/hng/hng.html or
Classic Fairy Tales (CFT) 184-90). If you are unfamiliar with the stories, jot down the
main events of the plots.
WEEK 2:
M:
On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Zipes’ “Cross-Cultural Connections and the Contamination of
the Classical Fairy Tale,” Part I, and write a reaction paper (1-2 pages typed) detailing what you consider
to be the 5 most important points of this section of Zipes article, and explaining why you find them to be
significant.
W:
QUIZ I over materials/discussions weeks 1 and 2; Read Zipes’ “Cross-Cultural Connections and the
Contamination of the Classical Fairy Tale” Part II; answer assigned questions (see Assignments on
WebCT).
F:
Continued discussion of Zipes’ “Cross-Cultural Connections.”
WEEK 3:
M:
In preparation for our class discussion on “cross-cultural connections” and the “contamination” of
Cinderella, please read the following:
1) On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Giambattista Basile’s “The Cat Cinderella.” Review
Perrault’s “Cinderella” (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault06.html) and in CFT, read “Yeh-hsien” (pp.
107-108) and the Grimms’ “Cinderella” (117-122)
2) On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Yolen’s “America’s Cinderella”
W:
In CFT, read “Introduction: Cinderella” (pp. 101-107), Perrault’s “Donkeyskin” (109-116), Joseph Jacobs
“Catskin” (pp. 122-125) and “The Princess in the Suit of Leather” (131-137) and answer assigned questions
(see WebCT Assignments)
F:
In class we will watch and discuss scenes from the films Ever After and Disney’s Cinderella.
WEEK 4:
M:
On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Max Lüthi’s “Depthlessness”; answer assigned questions (see
Assignments on WebCT)
W:
In CFT, read the section on “Little Red Riding Hood” (pp. 3-24) for class discussion.
F:
On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Zipes’ “Reviewing and Re-Framing Little Red Riding Hood”;
answer assigned questions (see Assignments on WebCT)
WEEK 5:
M:
QUIZ II over materials/discussions from weeks 3 and 4.
W:
1) In CFT, read the section on “Snow White” (pp. 74-96 only)
2) In CFT, read Zipes, “Breaking the Disney Spell” (“Casting the Commodity Spell with Snow White”)
(pp. 332-333, 345-352), and answer assigned questions.
F:
In class we will watch and discuss scenes from Disney’s “Snow White.”
WEEK 6:
M:
In CFT, read Anne Sexton’s poem “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (pp. 96-100) and Gilbert and
Gubar’s article “Snow White and her Wicked Stepmother” (pp. 291-297); and write a reaction paper (1-2
pages typed) explaining how Gilbert and Gubar’s article could be used to explain aspects of Sexton’s poem.
W:
1) In CTF, read section on “Hansel and Gretel” (pp. 179-211), as well as Giambattista
Basile’s “Ninnillo and Nennella” (see Course Documents on WebCT); answer assigned
questions (see Assignments on WebCT)
2) In CFT, read Bettelheim’s analysis of “Hansel and Gretel” (pp. 273-280), and answer
assigned questions (see Assignments on WebCT)
F:
Read Louise Murphy’s Hansel and Gretel through page 93, and answer assigned questions (see
Assignments on WebCT)
WEEK 7:
M:
No class (M/T Exchange Day)
T:
Read Murphy’s Hansel and Gretel (pp. 94-202), and answer assigned questions (see Assignments on
WebCT)
W:
Read Murphy’s Hansel and Gretel (pp. 203-end), and answer assigned questions (see Assignments on
WebCT)
F:
QUIZ III over materials/discussions from weeks 5 through 7.
WEEK 8:
M:
1) In CFT, read “Beauty and the Beast,” (pp. 25-50 and 66-73) for class discussion.
2) In class we will watch excerpts from Jean Cocteau’s film La Belle et la Bête
W:
1) Read Jerry Griswold’s chapter on Cocteau’s and Disney’s film versions of “Beauty and the Beast” (See
Course Documents on WebCT); answer assigned questions.
2) In class we will also watch and discuss excerpts from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
F:
1) MIDTERM WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: comparative writing assignment (4-5 pages): analysis of a film
adaptation of a fairy tale (not a film we have watched in class): further details to be announced and posted.
2) Online, read Grimms’ “Hans-My-Hedgehog” (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm108.html). In class we
will watch “Hans my Hedgehog” from Henson’s The Storyteller.
WEEK 9:
M:
Write a reaction paper (1-2 pages typed) in which you compare the
Grimms’ version of “Hans-My-Hedgehog” with Henson’s
interpretation.
W:
1) In CFT, read Tatar’s “Sex and Violence: The Hard Core of Fairy Tales” (pp. 364-373)
and answer assigned questions. (see Assignments on WebCT)
2) In CFT, read “Bluebeard” (pp. 138-156) for class discussion.
F:
In class we will watch and discuss a Bluebeard-themed episode from the television series Buffy, the
Vampire Slayer.
WEEK 10:
M:
In CFT, read Margaret Atwood’s “Bluebeard’s Egg,” pp. 156-178 and write a reaction
paper (1-2 pages typed) exploring Atwood’s use of different Bluebeard motifs and
elements in her story, and proffering your opinion as to the theme(s) of her version as
opposed to those of earlier variants.
W:
QUIZ IV over materials/discussions from weeks 8-10.
F:
1) Online, read Grimms’ “Iron Hans” (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm136.html) and
“Iron Hans” (pp. 68-73)
2) On WebCT, under Course Documents, read selection from Robert Bly’s Iron John and write a critique
(1-2 pages typed) of Bly’s interpretation of the “Iron John” story, explaining why you find his analysis to
be successful/unsuccessful.
WEEK 11:
M:
Online, read Grimms’ “Rumplestiltskin” (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm055.html), “The Three Spinning
Women” (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm014.html) and “The Lazy Spinning Woman”
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm128.html); answer assigned questions (see WebCT Assignments).
W:
Discussion of Socialist Realism; watch and discuss scenes from the DEFA film “Rumplestiltskin”
F:
PAPER II DUE (REWRITE OF FAIRY TALE)
Week 12: German Literary Fairy Tales
M:
Online, read Ludwig Tieck’s “Fair Eckbert” (http://www.fln.vcu.edu/tieck/eckbert_e.html) from 1796 and
answer assigned questions (see WebCT Assignments).
W:
Online, read Wilhelm Hauff’s “A Heart of Stone” from 1828
(http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/mcdonnell/hauff/hauff.html#stone) and answer assigned questions
(see WebCT Assignments)
On WebCT, under Course Documents, read Elisabeth Ebeling, “Black and White: a Fairy Tale” from 1869;
answer assigned questions (see WebCT Assignments).
WEEK 13:
F:
M
W:
QUIZ 5 over materials from weeks 11 through 13.
Discussion of/ preparation for final class project (further details TBA)
In CFT, read Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” from 1836 (pp. 216-232); In class we will
watch scenes from Disney’s “Little Mermaid” and contrast them with Andersen’s version.
WEEK 14:
F:
M:
Preparation for final class project (further details TBA)
W:
In CFT, read the section on Oscar Wilde (pp. 246-265); answer assigned questions (see Assignments on
WebCT)
On WebCT, under Course Documents, read A.S. Byatt’s “The Story of the Eldest Princess” for class
discussion
WEEK 15:
F:
M:
W:
F:
Presentation of final class project (further details TBA); review for final exam.
Review for final exam; fairy tale movie (Shrek? Shrek II? The Princess Bride?)
Fairy tale movie.
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
NEW COURSE PROPOSAL FORM
Does this proposal affect Liberal Learning requirements? Yes _____ No X
1.
Title of Course: Into the Woods: The European Folktale Tradition
Proposed Course Number (cleared with Registrar): MLAN 203
Prerequisite Courses:
(if you require a minimum acceptable grade greater than the default of D- , please indicate the grade
you require)
none
.
Catalogue Description (including credits, lecture, and lab hours):
A study of the Grimm brothers’ tales, their historical background and significance, and the broader
European/world context in which to place them. Students will explore the relationship between
storytellers and their intended audiences, examine the concept of children’s literature and its influence
upon our understanding of childhood, and consider how folk- and literary fairy tales continue today in
shaping us and our perception of the world around us. 3 credits.
Is the course cross-listed? No
**A proposed syllabus, including complete text and/or reference
information, as well as any relevant information to this decision, must be
appended.
Please see attached
2.
For whom is the course primarily intended? Explain why it should be added to the curriculum.
This course will complement departmental offerings in other genres, such as the novel and the drama.
It will be of interest to literature majors and students seeking to fulfill the creative expressions area of
inquiry.
3.
If this course is required, append a description of how the course fits into the curriculum. Indicate how
it affects hours required for graduation.
NA
4.
Has this course been offered previously as a special topics course? If so, when? What course number
was used?
Course will be offered in Spring 2006 as MLAN 395.
5.
Has this course, or one closely related to it, been offered at CNU previously?
If so, is that course currently being offered? How does the proposed course differ? When is the last
term the old course will be offered?
I am currently teaching a section of ENG 223 (a second year writing course) with this material as a
topic. However, as an AI Creative Expressions course, MLAN 203 will emphasis the creative rather
than research writing component.
6.
What is the anticipated enrollment per offering for the next three years? 19 Students
During which term will this course first be offered?
Fall 20__
Spring 2007
Summer 20___
During which semesters will this course regularly be offered?
We propose to offer the course spring semester of every other year.
Fall 20___
Spring 20___
Summer 20___
Print in the 2006-2007 (academic year) Undergraduate Catalog.
7.
How will the course be staffed?
Dr. Alicia Carter and Dr. Laura Deiulio
8.
Does the course involve a particular classroom, special equipment, or costs beyond those usually
associated with a course at CNU? If so, please explain.
Classroom would need to offer access to audiovisual equipment. A television with VCR/DVD
capabilities would be fine.
9.
Is the course repeatable for additional credit? If so, is there a limit to the number of times the course
can be repeated? (e.g., applied music courses)
No
10.
If this course is for an Area of Inquiry
a. Identify the Area of Inquiry
Creative Expressions
b. Demonstrate how your course will meet the objectives of this Area of Inquiry.
(Please see attached AI course proposal form and syllabus for further details).
The course will incorporate the following three of the objectives specified for AI-Creative Expressions:
a.) Examine selected examples of creative expression in terms of artistic, philosophical, cultural and/or
psychological issues.
Students will examine a wide variety of folktales as manifested in genres from the past and the present,
including written stories, poetry, cartoons, radio performances, and film adaptations. They will also learn
to recognize the developmental trajectories of the heroes and heroines of these tales as fantastical, nonmimetic representations of their own experiences.
b) Compare the role and/or meaning of creative expressions among cultures and/or historical periods.
In addition to learning more about the biographies of the storytellers behind well-known folk and fairy
tales, students will learn to analyze the effects of historical and cultural factors on the creation and
transmission of these tales.
c) Distinguish multiple approaches toward comprehending, creating, and evaluating creative works
Students will also examine and learn to apply various analytical methods to evaluate and understanding the
tales encountered in the course. We will begin by exploring different attempts to classify folktales, and
move to psychoanalytical, anthropological, historical, and feminist (psychoanalytical, feminist, historical,
economic, etc.)
This course was approved by:
(Liberal learning core courses must be reviewed by BOTH academic Deans.)
|
Department(s): (1)
Date: ________
(2)
Date: ________
College Curriculum
Committee:
Date: ________
Dean:
Date: ________
Dean:
Date: ________
Undergraduate Curriculum
Committee:
Date: ________
Concur
Changes to the Liberal Learning requirements must be reviewed by the Faculty Senate.
Faculty Senate President:
Date: ________
Provost
Date: ________
Distribution by Provost Office following approval:
Department Chair(s), UCC Chair, Deans, Registrar
** If “Do Not Concur” is checked, please attach a statement of explanation.
Rev. 03/20/05
Do Not
Concur**