COMP 209
Dolls, Puppets and Automatons Fall 2015
Division I Writing Skills
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Since their origin, humans have always made anthropomorphic representations, first in the form of idols, fetishes, or statues for religious worship, later in the shape of puppets, dolls, or automatons for their entertainment qualities. And yet, these objects have always played multiple roles in human society; modernity in particular shows a great interest paired with great ambivalence towards dolls, puppets, and automatons, regarded both as uncanny Doppelgänger or threatening machines. In order to comprehend the scope of our modern fascination with these figures, we will explore their haunting presence in literary texts by ETA Hoffmann, Achim von Arnim, Theodor Storm, Felisberto Hernandez, discuss theoretical texts by Sigmund Freud and Heinrich von Kleist, look at paintings by Oskar Kokoschka and at photographs by Hans Bellmer, watch a ballet by Kurt Joos and films by Fritz Lang and Ridley Scott, and watch fashion shows by Alexander McQueen, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Viktor & Rolf. Conducted in English.
The Class: Format: seminar
Limit: 19
Expected: 12
Class#: 1407
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: active class participation, one oral presentation, three 5- to 8-page papers
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preferences: Comparative Literature majors, or those considering a major in Comparative Literature
Distributions: Division I Writing Skills

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