44. Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
This first of two lectures focuses on on Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian relates to its major sources and influences, be they in the American tradition, or from the Bible, Paradise Lost, or the poetry of Wordsworth. The lecture also focuses on how Blood Meridian stands on its own as a meditation on history. Course materials are available here.
Course description: In “The American Novel Since 1945” students will study a wide range of works from 1945 to the present. The course traces the formal and thematic developments of the novel in this period, focusing on the relationship between writers and readers, the conditions of publishing, innovations in the novel’s form, fiction’s engagement with history, and the changing place of literature in American culture. The reading list includes works by Richard Wright, Flannery O’Connor, Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Kerouac, J. D. Salinger, Thomas Pynchon, John Barth, Maxine Hong Kingston, Toni Morrison, Marilynne Robinson, Cormac McCarthy, Philip Roth and Edward P. Jones. The course concludes with a contemporary novel chosen by the students in the class.
- Views: 123,879
- Posted: 6 months ago
- Course: The American Novel Since 1945
43. The Frankfurt School of Critical Theory
This lecture focuses on social theories of art and the production of art, and particularly on the Frankfurt School. The writings of Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin are explored in relation to historical and political contexts: Marxism, socialist realism, and late capitalism. Adorno’s thoughts on mechanical reproduction, as well as the relationship between labor and art are expounded upon. The lecture ends by covering Benjamin’s thoughts on the use of distraction and shock in artistic presentation. Course materials are available here.
Course description: This is a survey of the main trends in twentieth-century literary theory. Lectures will provide background for the readings and explicate them where appropriate, while attempting to develop a coherent overall context that incorporates philosophical and social perspectives on the recurrent questions: what is literature, how is it produced, how can it be understood, and what is its purpose?
- Views:124,600
- Posted: 6 Years Ago
- Course: Introduction to Theory of Literature
42. The Dark Ages
This lecture explores the earliest eras of Greek Civilization, explaining how small agricultural enclaves grew into power and wealth through the Bronze age, as well as how these civilizations were related to the ancient monarchies of the Near East. The lecture continues by explaining the end of the Mycenaean age, and the role that migration and warfare played in this transition, as well as the subsequent transition to Greek civilization. Currently, course materials related to this lecture are unavailable. For a listing of all history courses available through Open Yale Courses click here.
- Views: 126,145
- Posted: 6 Years Ago
- Course: Introduction to Ancient Greek History
41. Why Are People Different?: Differences
This lecture addresses the latest theories and research in psychology on the question of how people end up being different from one another. Research focuses on two traits in particular: personality and intelligence. Discussion goes over measurement of these, traits, as well as discussion of genetics, environment, and how traits vary across groups. Course materials are available here.
Course description: What do your dreams mean? Do men and women differ in the nature and intensity of their sexual desires? Can apes learn sign language? Why can’t we tickle ourselves? This course tries to answer these questions and many others, providing a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of thought and behavior. It explores topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, religion, persuasion, love, lust, hunger, art, fiction, and dreams. We will look at how these aspects of the mind develop in children, how they differ across people, how they are wired-up in the brain, and how they break down due to illness and injury.
- Views: 126,261
- Posted: 6 Years Ago
- Course: Introduction to Psychology
40. Deconstruction I
This lecture centers on general theories from Derrida as well as the origins of deconstruction. “Structure, Sign, and Play in Discourse of Human Sciences,” and “Différance” by Derrida are explored in a discussion about deconstructions central assertions: that language is by nature arbitrary, and that meaning is indeterminate. Concepts such as the nature of the text, discourse, difference, and supplementarity are talked through. Check out course materials here.
Course description: This is a survey of the main trends in twentieth-century literary theory. Lectures will provide background for the readings and explicate them where appropriate, while attempting to develop a coherent overall context that incorporates philosophical and social perspectives on the recurrent questions: what is literature, how is it produced, how can it be understood, and what is its purpose?
- Views: 127,349
- Posted: 5 Years Ago
- Course: Introduction to Theory of Literature