ENGH 202: Texts and Contexts

ENGH 202-014: Literature and Film of War
(Fall 2017)

09:00 AM to 10:15 AM TR

Section Information for Fall 2017

Why Literature of Film of War?
At first glance, literature and war have little connection. Literature is about creating something; war is the most destructive activity in which human beings engage.  Writing usually requires order, quiet and solitude; war creates chaos and noise, and requires an enemy.  The medium of film, took, initially seems ill-suited to the conveying the truth of war.  War is usually long, and the repercussions from war last even longer; a film has only a few hours at most in which to tell its story.

However, given that war has been a nearly constant facet of human existence, it would be surprising if writers and directors did not attempt to capture some of the reality of war within their works.  Moreover, literature and film both virtually require both irony and paradox, and war provides both.  As terrible as war is, it also provides the opportunity to demonstrate many qualities and we admire, such as courage, camaraderie, and occasionally chivalry.  As deadly as war is, the proximity of death makes one feel more alive than one might otherwise. As brutal as war is, it can also be spectacular and awe-inspiring.  War is not only a suitable subject for both literature and film but a nearly irresistible one.

Reading List: Homer, Iliad/Shakespeare, Henry V/ Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms/ Mailer, The Naked and the Dead/ Heller, Catch-22/ Plus poems by McCrae, Brooke, Thomas, Graves, Sassoon, Yeats, Burney, Rosenberg and Owen.

Film and Video List: Branagh, Henry V/ Milestone, All Quiet on the Western Front/ Curtis and Elton, Black Adder Goes Forth/ Reed, The Third Man/ Malick, The Thin Red Line/ Lean, Bridge on the River Kwai/ Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima/ Altman, M*A*S*H/ Kubrick, Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove

 

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Studies literary texts within the framework of culture. Examines texts within such categories as history, gender, sexuality, religion, race, class, and nation. Notes: Builds on reading and writing skills taught in ENGH 101. May be repeated within the term.
Mason Core: Literature
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 credits of 100-level English.
Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Lecture, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

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