The aim of this course is to develop skills in literary analysis by analysing plays and prose texts. Within the framework of the theme chosen for the 2024-2025 year, the aim will also be to establish links between the texts and the different historical and political contexts in Europe in the 20th and 21st centuries. In this way, the course will give students a better understanding of current societal issues and enable them to draw on well-founded knowledge to take part in the debate.
The aim of this This course aims at the acquisition of level B2 according to the CEFR*. For native speakers of German, it will aim to develop their writing and stylistic skills. *https://www.coe.int/fr/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages
Familie im Wandel? Der Mikrokosmos Familie in deutschsprachigen Texten des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts
This course is a continuation of Literarische Textanalyse I: Prosa und Lyrik. After the analysis of narrative texts and poems, we will study drama in particular, but will also continue the analysis of narrative texts.
In 2024-2025 (2nd semester), the topic will be the theme of family and generations in several dramas and novels of the 20th and 21st centuries. The dilemmas facing the "Mutter Courage" in Bertolt Brecht's play Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (1938/39) are still shatteringly topical, but VThomas Bernhard's drama Heldenplatz (1988) and Heimsuchung (2008) de Jenny Erpenbeck also show us how the trajectories of families have been shaped by war, exile or migration. The aim is to study how the texts deal with these issues, to distinguish between literary devices and to understand the sometimes very complex reception of the different texts.
The compulsory exercises (15 hrs) aim to stimulate oral expression in German by means of activities focusing on different subjects related to German-speaking culture and to the texts read for the course. Each student will give an oral presentation of a chapter related to the history of 20th century Germany.
Interactive course which aims to develop exchanges and discussions between students. The course is accompanied by compulsory exercises (15 hours) which complete the course.
In April 2025, we will be attending the performance of 'Mère Courage' at the Théâtre de Liège: https://tinyurl.com/merecourage This will be an opportunity for the students to create links between the reading of the German text and the multilingual performance, created by Lisaboa Houbrechts and the Toneelhuis & KVS.
Participation in any activity organised by the department as part of this course is considered compulsory.
The final score will consist of
- a compulsory written assignment which will count for 20%; As part of this assignment, students will be asked to analyse and comment on a scientific article related to one of the texts analysed. This work will be presented during the exercise sessions. For this work, the use of AI will be approached from a productive and critical point of view.
- the written exam at the end of the year which will count for 50%; The student will have to answer analytical and synthetic questions concerning the theoretical framework and the texts discussed in the course. At this stage of the evaluation, the use of AI will not be accepted.
- an oral examination which will count for 30%. In the oral examination, students will answer open-ended questions about the course. They will also be asked to comment on extracts from the texts.
Access to the examination (written and oral) is conditional on the submission of written work and the presentation of oral work during the year.
• PowerPoint presentations (on WebCampus) and course reader.
• Book list distributed at the first class.
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English | Standard | 0 | 5 | |
| Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English | Standard | 2 | 5 |