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This course will be concerned with one of the best-known American writers: Samuel Langhorne Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, whose career coincides with massive transformations in the United States (from a nation plagued by civil war to a world power, from westward expansion to an orientation toward Europe, from optimism to skepticism, etc.). Twain has a firm place in the canon of American literature as a humorist and as a local color writer; he was one of the first Americans who became a worldwide celebrity. In this seminar we will explore the diversity of his œuvre as a reflection of the U.S.A.'s historical and cultural development. Moreover, we will be concerned with Twain's assessments of his own culture as well as his views of Europe (especially Germany) and we will try to pin down what makes him a distinctly American writer. Students are asked to purchase the following books. Please try to get the editions specified below. - Mark Twain, The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain. (Bantam Classics) ISBN: 0553211951.
- Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. Thomas Cooley. (Norton Critical Edition) ISBN: 0393966402.
- Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. (Bantam Classics) ISBN: 0553211439.
- A reader of additional course texts, which will be available at the copy shop at Reckhammerweg 4 after the first seminar session.
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