The relationship between literature and photography has been complex and productive ever since the invention of photography in the 19th century. In this seminar we aim to shed light on this connection between the verbal and the visual by reading texts belonging to different genres (e.g., poetry, short stories, life writing) and periods. We will explore the history of photography, examine basic theoretical concepts related to photography and intermediality, and analyze selected works from English literature from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. Authors we will discuss include Henry James, Thomas Hardy, Arthur Conan Doyle, Daphne du Maurier, and some Canadian authors: Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro and Michael Ondaatje.
In the end:
- Students can identify specific features of photography and their relevance for the analysis of literary texts.
- Students have trained their close reading skills on a variety of literary texts in English.
- Students have practiced their oral and written use of English.
- Students have widened their insights into English literary history and its connection to other media.
- Docente: Julia Straub
- Docente: Nino Liam Töndury