Comparative Literature

This course examines and analyzes the worth of representative poets and masterpiece in Modern Korean poetry from the 1920s to the 2000s. It also introduces concepts, basic principles of modern Korean poetry and students get the pleasure of reading poems once again. This process is a time of the reenacted experience about historical experience, philosophical experience, sensuous experience in the modern poetry. In this lecture, students read Korean modern poetry and study basic poetics and theory of poetry at same time. In addition, we widen the extent of the understand by studying about variety of a cultural experience that appeared on modern Korean poetry. We  study Korean poetry along with multiple genre of art, as well as ideology of history, politics, folk, and themes such as love, food, fashion . Students contemplate 'What is poetic thing?' While all students who like poetry can enjoy this course, appreciation of poems at the University-level is beyond the level of that reading comprehension. By reading poems, students can find the important poetic spirit that penetrate contemporary culture.

This first year course explores the evolution of literature and the concepts of canon, tradition, and classic(s) through a broad textual analysis of representative and influential texts. It examines major texts and authors considered to have shaped intellectual history and literary criticism from their origins to the nineteenth century. Topics covered include: foundations of Western literary tradition (Homer and the Bible); tragedy; the epic and the evolution of the narrative genre (the novel and the short story); lyric poetry.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by permission of the instructor. The student acquires historical and literary knowledge of women's popular culture with specific reference to travel literature and critical utopias, within a gender perspective. The course analyzes the strategies of representation of female identity, women's social role and agency in women's travel accounts such as letters, diaries and novels, from the 18th century to the present. It also investigates the double diversity of women travelers as different both from male travelers and from more socially conformist women. The course also explores to what extent these texts subvert or reinforce the position of women within the patriarchal social order and in the domestic sphere. For this reason, the texts chosen for the course are examined within their original cultural and social contexts, and in their interconnection with class, race, and gender discrimination.

A topic-based survey class of American Literature, this course focuses on understanding and analyzing the main changes and important aspects of American culture, society, politics, and history by exposing students to the works of various kinds of American literature authors. Class readings include not only prose writings but also letters, diaries and several official documents written by American influential writers from the 15th century to the 19th century. From time to time, the course will also analyze rare photographs, musical CDs, and films. Students are expected to be interested in basics of modern literary theory which are widely associated in American literary studies. As we challenge the process of creating the notions such as “America,” “American History/Literature,” “race,” “class,” and “borders,” our readings will sometimes go beyond narrowly-defined “American” texts. Through these readings and analyses, students will learn various cultural aspects to approach social issues seen in American society, past and present. This course is conducted in a mixed style of lecture/seminar, and research works at the main library; therefore, participants will be assigned to make presentations, discussion, research and other activities. In the library survey sessions, students are expected to write and submit 2-3 page long paper each time during the class hours.