In every class, we will train some of the basic close-reading and argumentation techniques used in the field of literary studies but also venture farther into some of the cultural debates that inform our chosen texts. We will do this with a particular topic in mind, namely the conception, representation, and occasionally also political implications of youth in the various texts under investigation.

What does “being young” and “growing up” mean in Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, for instance, and how does it relate to political authority? How did childhood and youth come to be idealized in Wordsworth’s Romantic poetry and what were the socio-cultural consequences of their widespread elevation? What are the cultural dynamics behind the literary trope of eternally preserved youth – whether in J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan works or Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray? How does 20th and 21st-century poetry react to our current “youth cult” and the related generation conflicts?

In order to answer these questions, we will draw on academic work from a variety of age-related disciplines (including, for instance, sociology). Nevertheless, the main focus of the course still remains literary and directed towards our primary texts themselves. 

Coordinator

Rudolph Glitz

Timetable

All lectures will take place on-campus and we assume you can be physically present during the scheduled hours. You can find the timetable on Datanose.

Registration

Registration is possible for students participating in an Honours programme. The registration period for the Honours courses will be from June 6, 10:00 am to June 10, 11.59 pm. You can register through the online registration form that will appear on Honoursmodules IIS. (registration is NOT through SIS)

Please note: Placement is not guaranteed if you register after June 10, so make sure you register on time. You will hear which course(s) you are registered for before the end of June. 

For questions about registration, please contact us at: honours-iis@uva.nl.