Expressionism, 1910-1925

3 units

Expressionism has left an enduring mark on 20th century art and aesthetics. Using texts from a variety of genres, this course will investigate the genesis, meaning and use of the idea of "expression." Considering the poetry of Gottfried Benn, Else Lasker-Schnler, and Georg Trakl; the music of Arnold Sch÷nberg; the art of Wassily Kandinsky and Emil Nolde; and the prose of Carl Einstein and Franz Kafka, we will discuss both the theories and the artistic production of the Expressionist generation. At the same time we will also compare different analyses of Expressionism as developed by such critics as Theodor Adorno, Ernst Bloch, Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, and Georg Lukacs. Discussion in English. Readings in German and English. Not for undergraduate German majors.