Tragedy and Psychoanalysis 2
Amanda Holmes
Art Sciences and Art Education, Philosophy
2021S, scientific seminar (SEW), 4.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S03683
Description
There is an interesting footnote in Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams in which Freud discusses the lesson of Hamlet. He writes,
“Another of the great creations of tragic poetry, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, has its roots in the same soil as Oedipus Rex. But the changed treatment of the same material reveals the whole difference in the mental life of these two widely separated epochs of civilization: the secular advance of repression in the emotional life of mankind.”
This course takes its point of departure from this passage and the idea that tragedy illustrates something essential about the structure of repression. This idea sets the ground for our exploration of the place of the specifically modern tragedy of Hamlet within psychoanalytic theory. Throughout the course of the semester, we will read Shakespeare’s Hamlet and focus our study on Freud’s and Lacan’s respective readings of the tragedy. We will also look at various secondary studies on these readings in order to situate more broadly the relation of psychoanalysis, philosophy, and tragedy.
It is not required to have taken “Part I” in order to take this second instantiation of the course. The “part I” of this course on Psychoanalysis and Tragedy focused on the Theban Trilogy of Sophocles in order to explore the important place of tragedy in the fundamental concepts of psychoanalysis. We focused, for example, on the “Oedipus Complex” in Freud’s thinking and then turned to Lacan’s reading of Antigone as a figure of the death drive. “Part II” will instead focus on one tragedy, Hamlet, and explore the various psychoanalytic treatments and readings of this text.
***This course is run in conjunction with Dr. Antonia Birnbaum’s course “On Not Knowing Greek II.” These two seminars can be taken independently, but they are conceived together and it is recommended that students consider taking both of them in conjunction.
Texts will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
Examination Modalities
Students will give one short (5-10 minute) presentation during the course of the semester. The aim of the presentation is to present and explain one problem or question as it is raised in the text and to prompt a class discussion.
For the final exam, students will have the option of either writing a short (5 - 10 page) essay on a topic of his or her choosing or taking an oral exam at the end of the semester.
Dates
09 March 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
16 March 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
23 March 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
13 April 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
20 April 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
27 April 2021, 18:00–20:00 Distance Learning (details as described)
04 May 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
11 May 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
18 May 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
01 June 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
08 June 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
15 June 2021, 18:00–20:00 Seminar Room 22
Course Enrolment
From 01 March 2021, 00:00 to 15 April 2021, 23:59
Via online registration
Curriculum Allocation
co-registration: possible
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject kkp (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE
Art Education: subject kkp (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften
Art Education: subject kkp (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject tex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject tex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject tex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE
Art Education: subject tex (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften
Art Education: subject tex (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dae (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dae (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dae (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE
Art Education: subject dae (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften
Art Education: subject dae (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis
Art Education: subject dex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE
Art Education: subject dex (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften
Art Education: subject dex (additional subject): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis
TransArts - Transdisciplinary Arts (Bachelor): Theoretical foundations: Theoretical foundations
Stage Design (1. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Philosophie
Stage Design (2. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Philosophie
Media Arts: Specialisation in Transmedia Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie und Geschichte : Philosophie
Media Arts: Specialisation in Digital Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie, Geschichte: Philosophie
Design: Specialisation in Fashion Design (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Free Elective Pool Methodological and Theoretical Basics
Conservation and Restoration (2. Section): Geisteswissenschaften: Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Art Theory, Cultural Studies, Art History, Philosophy
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Free Electives out of Scientific and Research Practice
Individual courses: possible