Modern World Literature: Exploring Global Masterpieces
Discover how modern writers capture our globalized world in this Harvard course on contemporary world literature.
Discover how modern writers capture our globalized world in this Harvard course on contemporary world literature.
Embark on a literary journey through the modern world with Harvard's "Modern Masterpieces of World Literature" course. This program explores how contemporary writers transcend national and linguistic boundaries, creating works that resonate on a global scale. You'll examine how modern fiction engages with political and social issues of our globalized society, addressing themes of exploration, migration, international conflict, and cultural exchange. The course traces the evolution of world literature from medieval tales to contemporary novels, showing how small stories are woven into ambitious literary projects. By analyzing works from diverse cultures and time periods, you'll gain insights into how literature reflects and shapes our understanding of the modern world. Whether you're a literature enthusiast or simply curious about global perspectives, this course offers a unique opportunity to explore the richness and complexity of modern world literature.
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What you'll learn
Understand the recent history and development of world literature
Analyze how literary works are transformed by cultural transmission and global circulation
Develop critical analysis skills for interpreting modern and contemporary texts
Explore the historical and political contexts of literature from China, Argentina, Turkey, and other global locations
Examine how modern writers engage with themes of globalization, migration, and cultural exchange
Compare and contrast literary works from different cultures and time periods
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
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There are 8 modules in this course
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of modern world literature, focusing on how contemporary writers engage with global themes and transcend cultural boundaries. Students will examine a diverse range of texts from various cultures and time periods, tracing the evolution of world literature from medieval tales to modern novels. The curriculum covers key works by authors such as Jorge Luis Borges, Wole Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, and Orhan Pamuk, among others. Through these texts, students will explore themes of globalization, cultural exchange, political conflict, and identity in the modern world. The course emphasizes critical analysis skills, encouraging students to interpret these works in their historical and cultural contexts while understanding their global significance. By the end of the course, learners will have a deeper appreciation for the complexities of modern world literature and its role in shaping our understanding of the globalized world.
Introduction: What is World Literature? (Goethe)
Module 1
West-Eastern Conversations ( The 1001 Nights )
Module 2
Enlightenment in the Colonies (Candide)
Module 3
China and Its Neighbors (Lu Xun and Eileen Chang)
Module 4
Inventing Latin America (Jorge Luis Borges, Ficciones )
Module 5
From Empire to Globe (Wole Soyinka, Death and the King's Horseman )
Module 6
East-West Encounters (Salman Rushdie, East, West ; Jhumpa Lahiri, The Interpreter of Maladies )
Module 7
Istanbul in – or as – the World (Orhan Pamuk, My Name Is Red )
Module 8
Fee Structure
Instructors
3 Courses
Leading Scholar Revolutionizing World Literature Studies at Harvard
David Damrosch, the Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University and Director of the Institute for World Literature, has fundamentally transformed the field of world literature studies. After completing his education at Yale University (B.A. 1975, Ph.D. 1980), he developed groundbreaking approaches to studying literature across cultures and time periods. His influential works include "What Is World Literature?" (2003), "The Buried Book" (2007), and "Around the World in 80 Books" (2021), which have reshaped how scholars approach global literary studies. Damrosch's exceptional linguistic abilities, including proficiency in German, French, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Nahuatl, Old Norse, Akkadian, and biblical Hebrew, enable him to engage directly with texts across multiple cultures. His scholarly contributions extend beyond research to pedagogy, where he serves as the general editor of the six-volume Longman Anthology of World Literature and has developed innovative courses at Harvard, including "Masterpieces of World Literature" and "Modern Masterpieces of World Literature." In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, he was awarded the 2023 Balzan Prize for World Literature, cementing his position as one of the most respected figures in contemporary literary studies
3 Courses
Distinguished Harvard Scholar Revolutionizing World Literature and Cultural Studies
Martin Puchner, the Byron and Anita Wien Professor of Drama and of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University, has established himself as a transformative figure in literary and cultural studies. After completing his B.A. at Konstanz University in 1992 and Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1998, he has built an extraordinary academic career spanning modernism, drama, literary theory, and world literature. As the founding director of the Mellon School of Theater and Performance Research at Harvard, Puchner has authored numerous influential works, including "Culture: The Story of Us, from Cave Art to K-Pop" (2023), "Literature for a Changing Planet" (2022), and "The Written World" (2017). His scholarly impact is further evidenced by his role as general editor of The Norton Anthology of World Literature and co-editor of The Norton Anthology of Drama. His research interests encompass cultural history, climate change, language, migration, race, and theater performance. Puchner's contributions to academia have earned him prestigious recognitions, including the Guggenheim Fellowship and positions as a Cullman Fellow at the New York Public Library. At Harvard, he teaches cornerstone courses in world literature, including "Masterpieces of World Literature," "Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature," and "Modern Masterpieces of World Literature," while continuing to shape global literary discourse through his innovative research and teaching approaches
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4.9 course rating
31 ratings
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