This course is designed to explore a variety of ways of relating the fiction and poetry written in Korea in the 20th century and the fiction and poetry written in the West, especially in Britain, Ireland, and the United States. This will NOT be a question of "this is better than that" but rather we shall be trying to find ways of finding links and complementarities between a few significant works written in such very different contexts during the 20th century. All the Korean works studied will be read in English translation, since the main language of the course will be English. Comparisons will be made between the formal aspects of various works, through close reading of a small number of poems and short stories, as well as between the overall characteristics described in critical histories and studies. For each work discussed, form, subject and contents, critical readings, historical contexts, author's biographies and critical receptions will all be considered.
Many texts will be available for download, others will be photocopied. There is no particular textbook. Since it takes time to read a work of fiction in English, there are more poems than short stories in this course.
1. March 8. Introduction : reading literature / comparing literatures: What is poetry / literature?
8. April 26. Poems by Ku Sang – Chon Sang-pyong – R.S. Thomas: God, poetry and humanity. What contrasts?
11. May 17. O Jeong-hui Wayfarer A woman writing? What contrasts?
13. May 31. Kim Kwang-Kyu. Other nations' poetries : influences or impulses?
14. June 7. Poems by Ko Un – Gary Snyder – Seamus Heaney : The essence of poetry?