Senior Seminar
Comparative Literature
2015-2016
Teacher: Françoise Canter Ph.D
1. The Myth of the Golden Age (first 2 quints)
[In the beginning, the immortals […] created the golden generation of mortal people…They
lived as if they were gods, their hearts free from all sorrow, by themselves, and without hard
work or pain; no miserable old age came their way…They took their pleasure in festivals,
and lived without troubles. When they died, it was as if they fell asleep. All goods were theirs.
The fruitful grainland yielded its harvest to them of its own accord; this was great and
abundant…]
Hesiod, The works and Days.
We will first read the original myth as it appears in Hesiod’s text The Works and
Days, the oldest text on the myth in Western civilization created in 8th century B.C.
The longevity of this myth is combined with its capacity to transform itself
throughout history in literature, philosophy, geography, politics, travel journals, and
since the 19th century in popular media. Why does this myth have such power and
maintain such a vivid presence in our society? Is there one myth or several myths
closely related? Is there a fundamental anthropological feature of the myth?
The evocation of the Golden Age appears in all literary forms as a compact enclave of
common themes. Some descriptions copied verbatim from the reservoir of classical
texts. However, as we are going to discover, each text, although employing the same
kind of stereotypes and rhetorical discourses, develops a distinct perspective. Indeed,
none of the evocations of the Golden Age ensures the same purpose. They can frame
the construction of a utopian space (an “elsewhere”) animated by the desire to escape
from a vicious world, from a hopeless and unbearable present. They can enhance a
lyrical and critical discourse. They also can serve political and philosophical purposes
- the idea of a possible restitution of the Golden Age being imbedded in any political
discourse. Furthermore, they can sustain a paradox which engages the reader in a
complex process of interpretation.
We will explore all these facets and the interplay at work within each text and try to
understand how and why this myth continues to offer new dimensions to the original.
We will explore the transformations of the myth in excerpts of selected texts, except
for very short texts (the bibliography is almost infinite) and films.
I will provide a reader.
2. Narrative of Expatriates and Exiles: Splitting and Shaping Identity (last three
quints)
“The expatriate discovers consciously (and sometimes painfully) a certain number of
realities that build, most of the time unbeknownst to us, the human condition”.
Nancy Huston, North Lost, Actes Sud, 1999 (my translation).
This topic, related to cultural displacement or exile, is close to my own history and heart.
I started to realize and experience several years ago in my everyday life that I did not feel
French anymore, that some of my memories were simply dead (because in order to keep a
memory alive you need to nourish it, to talk about it, to share it). I noticed that my
attitude and reactions to my children in France were different from the ones my French
friends had. I remarked that everything in Paris was familiar to me but was not part of
myself anymore and that I was absent from there. I also perceived that some of my values
had changed as well as my use of the language. However, I realized simultaneously that I
will never be an American because my soul and my body have been raised French,
because my childhood will always be within me. This experience was profound and
enlightening. In this Seminar we will explore, through the narrative of expatriates (first
and second generations) and exiles, the rich interplay that shape the feeling of being
separated from one’s self and correlatively the constant building and aggregation of the
self. This year, we are going to address more specifically the question of translation and
the question of thinking between languages. What is translation? How to translate? Why
translation matters? Quint 5 will be most entirely devoted to a creative work in
translation.
I will provide a reader.
THE NORTHWEST SCHOOL
Senior Seminar
Comparative Literature
2015-2016
Teacher: Françoise Canter
Class description: since this class is a seminar your presence and active participation are
central to the success of the year. The class time will be mainly devoted to the discussion
of the assigned reading and each of you in turn will be responsible for leading the
discussion. We will occasionally do close reading of important or difficult passages in
class. You will be required to write regularly short answers to assigned texts as well as
longer analytical and comparative essays. You will also be able to explore creative
writing as an answer to a text or as a pastiche of a text.
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You need to make the commitment to attend each and every session on time.
After 2 absences, each absence lowers the participation component of the grade
by 1/3. If you are absent it is your responsibility to contact me to find out what
you missed and what you need to do for the next class.
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All work must be completed and submitted on time.
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The grade will then be based on all these components: Participation, weekly
assignments, essays, oral report, and group work.