modern European History Through Literature

(1870-1950)

Anna.Le_Roy@bridges.edu

Why study Modern European History and Literature?

Why do great civilization fall apart? What ignored tendencies, economic systems, ideologies, patterns lead to their destruction? This course "The Fall of Modern Europe" traces the history of Modern Europe through it's expansion during the later Imperialist period into Africa and Asia, the corresponding nationalistic lead-up to WWI, a brief vibrant cultural renaissance in Berlin between the Wars, the dissolution of this cultural pause into fascist and eventually totalitarian organization, to the aftermath and disillusionment. Through an in depth look at these periods and places students will attempt to understand what happened? What economic, political, and culural forces lead Europe at it's cultural height to revert into barbarism? What questions can be asked about assumptions about 'progress', history and Western Civilization. What can be learned from the thinkers and writers who attempted to understand this history?

Course Outline

Term 1

New Imperialism

(1870-1914)

Module 1: New Imperialism (1870-1914)

In the The first Copernimester or Model 1 students begin with the question of what does it mean to remember? In reference to Illiad and Ancient Greece students discuss why memory important to how a civilization understands itself.

In terms of content Students enter Late Imperial Europe already doubting its notions of inherit goodness and running out raw materials for it's second Industrial Revolution yet stepped in a self-belief of Enlightenment notions of progress, democracy and humanity. Through this notion of battling tendencies with a study European New Imperialism. Asking questions about how was new Imperialism different from earlier forms of Colonialism? What role did Nationalism, industrial revolution, what was the mixed reaction in Europe itself, what ideologies were championed to rationalize the use of failing resources towards private investments overseas. What was the response by the colonized? What destruction did this unmediated seizure of other countries cause European Home Countries abroad?

This historical study of Europe will be contextualized through the reading of two novels Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart, in final essay writing students compare and contrast these two narratives.

Term 2

Berlin Between the Wars

(1918-1939)

Module 2: Berlin Between the Wars

Student will focus the case study on Berlin between the Wars. As a precursor to understanding this short yet significant period. Following the theme of the dissolution of Europe Students will begin the first week studying how New Imperialism set in motion WWI, while contextualizing this historical understanding of European dissolution students will closely read sections of the The Waste-Land by T.S Elliot.

To understand the dissolution of European cultural and spiritual progress at the heart of the turn to Modernism will we focusing on the Weimar Republic and life between the Wars in Berlin provides a Constellation of historical circumstances tied to Berlin. Firstly we will study Modernist Art and Philosophy in the aftermath WWI and loss of belief in tradition through the works artists, writers, thinkers, playwrights, and philosophers working and living Berlin from (1918 - 1939).

Secondly, the Economic and the The Treaty of Versailles will tied to Berlin as well, as students read accounts of primary and secondary sources concerning the how punishing Economic policies (a continuation of WWI) led to unprocessed class antagonism and cultural despair Finally a major gap between growing Right-Wing populism and the high point of European leftist cultural production will be studied. Each student chooses different biographies and account of an artists, activitist, writer, playwright, to understand the experience of living in Berlin during this time. From the position this choosen person of group in Berlin students will also study the rise of faschism in Germany, the mobilization of the masses, and the connection between Economic superfluous and scapegoating of stateless, vulnerable, jews and ethnic minorities. In this case reviewing how poetry and art depicting these shifts. Final projects include a presentation on the group chose to study from Berlin.

Term 3

WWII

(1939-1950)

Page updated

Report abuse