World Literature

To provide students with an overview of literary works produced in different historical periods and geographical spaces and to demonstrate the dimensions of the concept of "world literature" through a critical-analytical (literary-theoretical) approach to reading the works and placing them in the historical, cultural and social context in which they were produced.

The course is designed to look not only for the specificities of individual periods and literary movements and trends, but also for connecting points, thus drawing attention to the interconnectedness and interdependence of national literatures (across space and time). This interconnectedness was already pointed out by Goethe in the 19th century, and the link between the past (tradition) and the production of the modern age is particularly emphasized, for example, by T.S. Eliot in his essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent" (1919). This kind of emphasis on the link between the past and the present, and between different social, cultural and historical contexts will be traced back to contemporary theoretical writings that will shed light on the literary works highlighted.

Students will be introduced to key works of world literature, fundamental concepts of literary theory and history, and will learn how to critically discuss literary works.

There are no enrolment or degree requirements for the course.

The couse will offer:
Introduction to the concept of "world literature" - when did it appear and what does it mean (at the time of its emergence and today) Goethe, 19th century - connection with the concepts of cosmopolitanism and literary transnationalism => the broader contemporary concept of multiculturalism – e.g. R. Tagore, D. Damrosch - world literature as the transfer (exchange) of social, cultural and historical context from one national environment to another.

The course will highlight the central works of world literature from Babylonian-Assyrian to contemporary literary works from different parts of the world, including the analysis of some contemporary Slovenian authors.
To name a few stops, we will be interested in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer: The Odyssey and the Iliad, Euripides: The Bacchantes, the Thousand and One Nights collection, excerpts from traditional Chinese and Japanese literature, and we will continue our exploration through different historical periods (and through different parts of the world - from Europe to North and Latin America), going back to Realism, Naturalism, Pre-Romantics, the Romantics, the literary-artistic movements of the 20th and 21st century.

We will show the similarities and differences between the trends and movements, both in literary-theoretical terms and geographically, and we will place the works of some of the living authors in the context of world literature. In addition to the temporal thread, we will also follow a geographical and thematic-genre line.

Seminar: students will prepare a seminar paper on a topic of their choice and will present the seminar paper.
Independent work: students read selected texts and prepare for the final exam.

Knowledge and learning outcomes:

The students learn:

 about the main works of world literature and the different dimensions (and theories) of the concept of world literature,
 they become familiar with key literary-historical concepts, they learn to read and analyze literature critically, they are able to problematize particular literary periods, movements and trends, and to find connections between them,
 they are also introduced to reading theoretical writings.

Skills:

The students learn:
- analysis and evaluation of the selected literary works based on the main premises of literary theory and history,
- discussion on literature through the comparative lens: they understand how national literatures are positioned in the context of world literature, and thus also placed into wider literary (as well as cultural and social) systems.

Literature (we will read excerpts from larger works, novels and poems)

• Ep o Gilgamešu (prev. Mirko Avsenak, 1978) (odlomki)
• Kitajska lirika (prev. Alojz Gradnik, 1958), Haiku, japonska lirika (prev. Iztok Geister, 1973)
• Homer: Ilijada, Odiseja (prev. Anton Sovre, 1982 in 1984) Catalogue Catalogue
• Evripid: Bakhantke (prev. Anton Sovre, Kajetan Gantar, 1980)
• Horac – Izbor poezije (prev. Kajetan Gantar, 1966) Catalogue
• Petronij – Satirikon (prev. Primož Simoniti, 1987) Catalogue
• Beowulf (odlomki) (prev. Marjan Strojan, 1992)
• Ljubezen iz daljave: provansalska trubadurska lirika (prev. Boris A. Novak, 2003) Catalogue
• Dante Alighieri: Božanska komedija (odlomki) (prev. Andrej Capuder, 1994) Catalogue
• Tisoč in ena noč, zbirka (odlomki)(2015) Catalogue
• Francesco Petrarca: izbor poezije (prev. Andrej Capuder, 1987) Catalogue
• Giovanni Boccaccio: Dekameron (odlomki) (prev. Niko Košir, 2004) Catalogue
• John Milton: Izgubljeni raj (odlomki) (prev. Marjan Strojan, 2003)
• William Shakespeare: soneti in odlomki iz izbrane drame (Kralj Lear; prev. Milan Jesih)
• Johann Wolfgang Goether: Faust (odlomki) (prev. Janko Moder, 2005) Catalogue
• George Gordon Lord Byron: Pesmi in pesnitve (izbor) (prev Janez Menart, 1983)
• Edgar Allan Poe: poezija (izbor) (prev. Andrej Arko, 2000) Catalogue
• Gustave Flaubert: Gospa Bovary (odlomki) (prev. Suzana Koncut, 2005) Catalogue
• Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist (odlomki) (prev. Oton Župančič, 1976)
• Anton Pavlovič Čehov: Češnjev vrt (odlomki) (prev. Milan Jesih, 2007) Catalogue
• Charles Baudelaire: Rože zla (izbor poezije) (prev. Marija Javoršek, 2005) Catalogue
• James Joyce: Ulikses (odlomki) (prev. Janez Gradišnik, 1993) Catalogue
• Bertolt Brecht: odlomki iz dram Catalogue Catalogue
• Samuel Beckett: Čakajoč Godota (prev. Aleš Berger, 1997)
• Albert Camus: Tujec (prev. Jože Javoršek, 1997) Catalogue
• Thomas Stearns Eliot: Pusta dežela (odlomki) (prev. Veno Taufer, 1977) Catalogue
• John Steinbeck: Grozdi jeze (odlomki) (prev. Janko Moder, 1983) Catalogue
• Arthur Miller: Smrt trgovskega potnika (odlomki) (prev. Janko Moder, 1964) Catalogue
• James Baldwin: Pesem črnske ulice (prev. Gitica Jakopin, 1977)
• Jorge Luis Borges: Alef (prev. Aleš Berger, 1997) Catalogue
• Kurt Vonnegut: Klavnica 5 (prev. Branko Gradišnik, 1997)
• Salman Rushdie: Satanski stiki (odlomki) (prev. Jure Potokar, 2005)
• Jumpa Lahiri: Tolmač tegob (prev. Polona Glavan, 2009)
• Art Spiegelman: Maus (prev. Oto Luthar,2006) Catalogue

Theoretical works (selection):

• David Damrosch, What is World Literature, Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press. Catalogue E-version
• J.P. Eckermann, Pogovori z Goethejem, Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba (prev. Josip Vidmar, 1959). Catalogue
• T.S. Eliot, “Tradition and the Individual Talent"” (1919), E-version
• Alenka Koron. Razgledi na tuje. Ljubljana : Literarno-umetniško društvo Literatura, 2019.
• Janko Kos, Pregled svetovne književnosti, Ljubljana: Državna založba Slovenije, 2005. Catalogue
• Tomo Virk, Izleti čez mejo: razprave o evropski in latinskoameriški prozi. Ljubljana : Literarno-umetniško društvo Literatura, 2008.
• Svetovne književnosti in obrobja, ur. Marko Juvan. Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2012 E-version

Additional:
Tomo Virk, Literatura in etika. Ljubljana : Literarno-umetniško društvo Literatura, 2021. * Janko Kos, Svetovni roman, Ljubljana : Literarno-umetniško društvo Literatura. Catalogue * Janez Vrečko, Ep in tragedija, Maibor: Obzorja, 2011. * Aleš Debeljak, Postmoderna sfinga: kontinuiteta modernosti in Postmodernosti, 1989 * Leonora Flis, Factual Fictions: Narrative Truth and the Contemporary American Documentary Novel, 2010. Catalogue * Alojzija Zupan Sosič, ur. Sodobna slovenska književnost (1980-2010), Ljubljana : Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2010. E-version*

• Tomo Virk: Strah pred naivnostjo: poetika postmodernistične proze, 2000.

• seminar paper 40 %

• oral exam 60 %

Associate Professor Leonora Flis 's work focuses on literary theory, contemporary English and American literature, film (especially in relation to literature), graphic novels and literary journalism. She also writes book and film reviews, translates and writes fiction. She published her first collection of short stories Upogib časa in 2015 and her second book of short stories, titled Enakozvočja, in 2022. In 2011, she was awarded a Fulbright Research Fellowship and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York. She also writes radio programs with literary content and hosts discussions on literature, film and literary journalism. In 2010, she published a scholarly monograph, Factual Fictions: Narrative Truth and the Contemporary American Novel.
She has attended several international conferences and symposia, and has publishes scholarly and professional articles in Slovene and foreign journals and books.
FLIS, Leonora. Nan Shepherdʹs holistic world - an intimate triangle : nature, body and mind in the living mountain. V: DUŢU, Carmen (ur.). Representations, scenes and scenarios of intimacy in women’s writing. Bucureşti: Pro Universitaria, 2023. Str. 81-95. ISBN 978-606-26-1415-7. https://repozitorij.ung.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=8312. [COBISS.SI-ID 159100419]
FLIS, Leonora. The narrative of social (in)justice, feminism, and migration in Slavenka Drakulić's selected works. Dve domovini : razprave o izseljenstvu. [Tiskana izd.]. 2023, [št.] 58, str. 127-144. ISSN 0353-6777. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/twohomelands/article/view/13203/11576, http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:doc-VFRV4BE6, DOI: 10.3986/2023.2.07. [COBISS.SI-ID 160461571], [SNIP, Scopus]
FLIS, Leonora. Factual fictions: narrative truth and the contemporary American documentary novel. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars, 2010. XII, 254 str. ISBN 9781-4438-24130-2. ISBN 1-4438-2413-5. [COBISS.SI-ID 44359522].
FLIS, Leonora. Med leposlovjem in poročanjem. Sodobnost. okt. 2021, letn. 85, št. 10, str. 1279-1292. ISSN 0038-0482. [COBISS.SI-ID 84567555]
FLIS, Leonora. Social engagement and multiculturalism in Louis Adamic's literary journalism and documentary prose. Dve domovini : razprave o izseljenstvu. [Tiskana izd.]. 2020, št. 51, str. 59-75. ISSN 0353-6777. DOI: 10.3986/dd.2020.1.04. [COBISS.SI-ID 45984557].
FLIS, Leonora. Grafične pripovedi in pripovednost. Primerjalna književnost. [Tiskana izd.]. maj 2020, letn. 43, št. 1, str. 51-74, ilustr. ISSN 0351-1189. DOI: 10.3986/pkn.v43.i1.03. [COBISS.SI-ID 18156803].
FLIS, Leonora. Družbeni angažma v literarnem novinarstvu Louisa Adamiča. V: DAUGUL, Larisa (ur.). Strpnost ni dovolj: prispevki s konference Iz mnogih dežel: ob 120. obletnici rojstva Louisa Adamiča, (Borec, ISSN 0006-7725, letn. 70 (2018), št. 751-753). Ljubljana: Sophia. 2018, [Letn.] 70, št. 751/753, str. [140]-149, 217-218. [COBISS.SI-ID 36010333].
FLIS, Leonora. Joe Sacco in literarno novinarstvo v podobi stripa - žanrski preplet literature, stripa, novinarstva in zgodovine. V: ZORMAN, Barbara (ur.), et al. Literatura in gibljive slike : tematski sklop = Literature and moving images : thematic section. Ljubljana: Slovensko društvo za primerjalno književnost, 2014. Letn. 37, št. 2, str. 195-225, [245], ilustr. Primerjalna književnost, letn. 37, št. 2. ISSN 0351-1189. [COBISS.SI-ID 55123042].
FLIS, Leonora. Profiling war : managing trauma in reporting horror : the case of Boštjan Videmšek. V: JOSEPH, Sue (ur.). Profile pieces : journalism and the "human interest" bias. New York; London: Routledge, cop. 2016. Str. 226-239. Routledge research in journalism, 13. ISBN 978-1-138-93805-2. [COBISS.SI-ID 4114171]