Survey of Swedish Literature

The course provides a survey of Swedish literary tradition, from the Middle Ages until today. It is centered on canonized and internationally well-known authors such as Carl Michael Bellman, Carl von Linné, Selma Lagerlöf, August Strindberg, and Gunnar Ekelöf. Additionally, more popular fiction, for example Astrid Lindgren’s children’s books and Henning Mankell’s crime novels, will be examined. The course also addresses the unique Swedish tradition of proletarian literature, and special attention will be devoted to women’s literature and literary tradition. All texts will be read in English translation. The main focus will be on literary history as well as on analysis and interpretation of literary texts, but also fundamental concepts of literary theory will be presented.