Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Love Stories: The Discourses of Love Stories: The Discourses of Desire in Literature and Culture, Desire in Literature and Culture,

1800 – the Present1800 – the Present

Session OneSession One

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

AgendaAgenda

Introduction: the Aims and Purposes of the Introduction: the Aims and Purposes of the SeminarSeminar

Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Reference to John KeatsReference to John Keats

RomanticismRomanticism Theorising Love Stories: Catherine Belsey, Theorising Love Stories: Catherine Belsey,

”Reading Love Stories””Reading Love Stories”

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Introduction: the Aims and Purposes Introduction: the Aims and Purposes of the Seminarof the Seminar

1st and 2nd semesters: the analysis and 1st and 2nd semesters: the analysis and history of textshistory of texts

3rd and 4th semesters: literary theory and 3rd and 4th semesters: literary theory and methodologymethodology

4th semester: seminars4th semester: seminars 4th semester: literary and media studies 4th semester: literary and media studies

projectproject

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Introduction: the Aims and Purposes of Introduction: the Aims and Purposes of the Seminarthe Seminar

Texts – the analysis, history, and theory of a Texts – the analysis, history, and theory of a ”genre” – the love story – across the media and ”genre” – the love story – across the media and genres, but focussing on narrative and writinggenres, but focussing on narrative and writing

Culture(s) – the idea of love across cultural and Culture(s) – the idea of love across cultural and historical periods: Romanticism, Victorianism, historical periods: Romanticism, Victorianism, Modernism, PostmodernismModernism, Postmodernism

The Programme: The Programme: http://www.hum.aau.dk/~i12jk/jenskirk/undervisninhttp://www.hum.aau.dk/~i12jk/jenskirk/undervisningsmappe/lovestories08/programme.htmgsmappe/lovestories08/programme.htm

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

What is love and what is story?What is love and what is story?

Tristan and IsoldeTristan and Isolde Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Other examples of great couples?Other examples of great couples? What does this suggest about love and What does this suggest about love and

story?story?

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

John Keats and Fanny BrawneJohn Keats and Fanny Brawne

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Reference to John Keats’ ”To Fanny Brawne”Reference to John Keats’ ”To Fanny Brawne”

””You cannot conceive how I ache to be with You cannot conceive how I ache to be with you: how I would die for one hour – for what you: how I would die for one hour – for what is in the world? I say you cannot conceive; it is in the world? I say you cannot conceive; it is impossible you should look with such is impossible you should look with such eyes upon me as I have upon you: it cannot eyes upon me as I have upon you: it cannot be” (NE2be” (NE2: 900/ 952): 900/ 952)

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

… ”… ”To Fanny Brawne”To Fanny Brawne”

Love = the lover’s desire for unity with his Love = the lover’s desire for unity with his belovedbeloved

Love = the lover’s knowledge that unity is Love = the lover’s knowledge that unity is impossibleimpossible

lack of feeling of reciprocitylack of feeling of reciprocity Lover not a worthy love object: ”I cannot be Lover not a worthy love object: ”I cannot be

admired, I am not a thing to be admiredadmired, I am not a thing to be admired Love creates its own obstacles: VenusLove creates its own obstacles: Venus

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Loving with Special Reference to John Loving with Special Reference to John Keats’ ”La Belle Dame Sans Merci”Keats’ ”La Belle Dame Sans Merci”

Unification revisited: What happens to the Unification revisited: What happens to the knight?knight?

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Loving, Telling, and Reading with Special Reference to John Keats’ ”La Belle Dame Reference to John Keats’ ”La Belle Dame

Sans Merci”Sans Merci” The frame story: the knight and his The frame story: the knight and his

interlocutorinterlocutor The framed story: the knight and the ladyThe framed story: the knight and the lady The poem and its reader: the literary balladThe poem and its reader: the literary ballad

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture

Jens KirkJens Kirk Dept. of Languages and CultureDept. of Languages and Culture