4:00-5:25  MR	ME CRC
This section fulfills the COAS Topics Requirement

Topic: Art & Intellect vs Life: Short Fiction by Thomas Mann (primarily),
Andre Gide (secondarily)

The principle purpose of this topical seminar, which will be in depth
rather than rushing through as many pages as possible, is to discuss short
fiction (seven stories) plus one chapter ("Snow") from Mann's major novel,
The Magic Mountain (1924), by Thomas Mann (1875-1955), probably the most
universally renowned German prose writer of this century, a figure of
world literature and well translated into English, and one short novel
(The Immoralist, 1902) by a correspondingly great French novelist, Andre
Gide (1869-1951).

Throughout his work Mann is fascinated by the conflict between Art and
Intellect, on the one hand, and the normal pleasures and satisfactions of
"Life," on the other. It is not just a matter of external conflict between
Art, Intellect and "Life": there is a profound internal dilemma felt by
gifted souls (writers, composers, actors, intellectuals) between their
calling and less problematic visions of 'normalcy,' of happiness, popular
acclaim, success, or physical satisfaction. Gide treats a similar them in
the Immoralist.

We will read the stories in the order listed in the course outline.

1.) Tristan (1902)
[The Blood of the Walsungs (1905)]
2.) Tonio Kroger (1903)
3.) Death of Venice (1911)
4.) Andre Gide, The Immoralist (1902)
5.) Felix Krull, Part 1 of  Book 1 (1911)
6.) Disorder and Early Sorrow (1925)
7.) Mario and the Magician (1930)
8.) Chapter "Snow" from Mann's The Magic Mountain (1924)

There are only two texts:
1) Thomas Mann, Death in Venice & Seven Other Stories, Vintage paperback
2) Andre Gide, The Immoralist, Vintage paperback

Please buy the texts in these particular editions.

Feel free to get in touch with me at any time if you have any questions.
Office hours during fall semester Monday/Thursdays 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Ballantine Hall 605, phone 855-8307, Fridays 2:00-4:00 p.m. in The Poplars
Research Center (see below).

I also have a study at "The Poplars Research Center," 400 E. 7th St., Room
733, Phone: 855-0186 (has answering machine) (If there is no answer,
messages can be left at 855-1553, Dept. of Germanic Studies.)