Fachbereich 05: Sprache, Literatur, Kultur - Anglistik - Master of Arts (Studienbeginn bis Sommersemester 2020)

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.

In the current age of globalization, migration and internet communication, intercultural communicative competence is a key requirement in many professions and has become a priority aim in school and university education. This course focuses on fundamental aspects of intercultural communication and approaches to developing intercultural/transcultural competence and understanding, placing special emphasis on culture and language integrated education in institutional settings such as high schools, universities, etc.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar offers a comprehensive exploration of spoken interaction within the foreign language classroom, bridging the gap between linguistic theory and classroom reality. The course is inspired by the concept of the 'Sprachstadt' – a model that conceptualizes the classroom as a dynamic, living 'city' of interaction where language is experienced through active social engagement rather than studied as a static subject.
Organized as a three-day intensive block, we begin on Day One by establishing a didactic foundation, focusing on the theoretical frameworks necessary to foster and assess oral proficiency through the collaborative design of evidence-based speaking tasks. On Day Two, we move from theory into the 'living city' via direct implementation; students will pilot their designs with learners at Gesamtschule Giessen Ost, documenting the real-world mechanics of verbal exchange. We conclude on Day Three with a critical reflective session dedicated to evaluating pedagogical outcomes and analyzing the efficacy of our interventions within the communicative landscape.


Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

In the current age of globalization, migration and internet communication, intercultural communicative competence is a key requirement in many professions and has become a priority aim in school and university education. This course focuses on fundamental aspects of intercultural communication and approaches to developing intercultural/transcultural competence and understanding, placing special emphasis on culture and language integrated education in institutional settings such as high schools, universities, etc.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar offers a comprehensive exploration of spoken interaction within the foreign language classroom, bridging the gap between linguistic theory and classroom reality. The course is inspired by the concept of the 'Sprachstadt' – a model that conceptualizes the classroom as a dynamic, living 'city' of interaction where language is experienced through active social engagement rather than studied as a static subject.
Organized as a three-day intensive block, we begin on Day One by establishing a didactic foundation, focusing on the theoretical frameworks necessary to foster and assess oral proficiency through the collaborative design of evidence-based speaking tasks. On Day Two, we move from theory into the 'living city' via direct implementation; students will pilot their designs with learners at Gesamtschule Giessen Ost, documenting the real-world mechanics of verbal exchange. We conclude on Day Three with a critical reflective session dedicated to evaluating pedagogical outcomes and analyzing the efficacy of our interventions within the communicative landscape.


Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This course focuses on the rationale, goals, and principles of differentiated instruction in the EFL classroom. Participants will learn a) how to examine and recognize individual differences in learning, student’s preferences for learning, their needs and interests, their learning styles, multiple intelligences and identities, as well as b) how to create learning environments that will maximize the potential for successful learning. At the end of this course participants will possess a repertoire of strategies for differentiating instruction that will allow them to respond flexibly to the diverse needs and abilities of all students in the EFL classroom.
Please note that this course will be conducted in an asynchronous, computer-mediated virtual format predominantly. Since asynchronous online courses are not conducted live and in-person, participants are not required to be logged in at the same time as everyone else, for instance, to attend virtual lectures or participate in video conferences and chat sessions. Instead, the instructor will distribute coursework through a virtual learning management system (i.e. StudIP, usually at the beginning of each week). Participants can complete the provided writing assignments and tasks at their own paces, adhering to the deadlines requested by the instructor (usually at the end of each week). This means that they can log on whenever they want, completing the coursework as they would like during each weekly block of learning.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
Readings will be made available in a number of ways (library, the web, StudIP).

Credit:
Ungraded: Active participation, weekly learning logs, forum discussions, knowledge of recommended literature
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam Period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar explores the concept of Teacher Identity by examining ongoing and continuous professionalisation as well as teacher well-being and life-work balance. Students will investigate several perspectives, as well as discuss current issues in teacher education. Based on their observations, they will have to work on a project connected to professionalisation and development.
Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

Motivation is one of the most important keys to success in learning and teaching English as a foreign language. This seminar aims to provide a deeper understanding of ‘what motivation is’ and how it can be ‘supported, maintained and, perhaps, increased’ in different EFL classroom environments, ranging from traditional to modern. The general approach is interdisciplinary, which means that recent trends and developments in motivational and in educational psychology, in learning theory, in the fields of applied linguistics and TEFL will be examined and discussed. These insights will serve as the background against which the following aspects will be explored in more detail: the significance of a ‘motivating’ classroom setting; the role of the teacher in supporting learner motivation, motivational strategies and skills; motivating and standards-oriented teaching/testing, etc.; the question of how to maintain teacher motivation.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar offers a comprehensive exploration of spoken interaction within the foreign language classroom, bridging the gap between linguistic theory and classroom reality. The course is inspired by the concept of the 'Sprachstadt' – a model that conceptualizes the classroom as a dynamic, living 'city' of interaction where language is experienced through active social engagement rather than studied as a static subject.
Organized as a three-day intensive block, we begin on Day One by establishing a didactic foundation, focusing on the theoretical frameworks necessary to foster and assess oral proficiency through the collaborative design of evidence-based speaking tasks. On Day Two, we move from theory into the 'living city' via direct implementation; students will pilot their designs with learners at Gesamtschule Giessen Ost, documenting the real-world mechanics of verbal exchange. We conclude on Day Three with a critical reflective session dedicated to evaluating pedagogical outcomes and analyzing the efficacy of our interventions within the communicative landscape.


Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This course focuses on the rationale, goals, and principles of differentiated instruction in the EFL classroom. Participants will learn a) how to examine and recognize individual differences in learning, student’s preferences for learning, their needs and interests, their learning styles, multiple intelligences and identities, as well as b) how to create learning environments that will maximize the potential for successful learning. At the end of this course participants will possess a repertoire of strategies for differentiating instruction that will allow them to respond flexibly to the diverse needs and abilities of all students in the EFL classroom.
Please note that this course will be conducted in an asynchronous, computer-mediated virtual format predominantly. Since asynchronous online courses are not conducted live and in-person, participants are not required to be logged in at the same time as everyone else, for instance, to attend virtual lectures or participate in video conferences and chat sessions. Instead, the instructor will distribute coursework through a virtual learning management system (i.e. StudIP, usually at the beginning of each week). Participants can complete the provided writing assignments and tasks at their own paces, adhering to the deadlines requested by the instructor (usually at the end of each week). This means that they can log on whenever they want, completing the coursework as they would like during each weekly block of learning.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
Readings will be made available in a number of ways (library, the web, StudIP).

Credit:
Ungraded: Active participation, weekly learning logs, forum discussions, knowledge of recommended literature
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam Period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar explores the concept of Teacher Identity by examining ongoing and continuous professionalisation as well as teacher well-being and life-work balance. Students will investigate several perspectives, as well as discuss current issues in teacher education. Based on their observations, they will have to work on a project connected to professionalisation and development.
Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

Motivation is one of the most important keys to success in learning and teaching English as a foreign language. This seminar aims to provide a deeper understanding of ‘what motivation is’ and how it can be ‘supported, maintained and, perhaps, increased’ in different EFL classroom environments, ranging from traditional to modern. The general approach is interdisciplinary, which means that recent trends and developments in motivational and in educational psychology, in learning theory, in the fields of applied linguistics and TEFL will be examined and discussed. These insights will serve as the background against which the following aspects will be explored in more detail: the significance of a ‘motivating’ classroom setting; the role of the teacher in supporting learner motivation, motivational strategies and skills; motivating and standards-oriented teaching/testing, etc.; the question of how to maintain teacher motivation.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar offers a comprehensive exploration of spoken interaction within the foreign language classroom, bridging the gap between linguistic theory and classroom reality. The course is inspired by the concept of the 'Sprachstadt' – a model that conceptualizes the classroom as a dynamic, living 'city' of interaction where language is experienced through active social engagement rather than studied as a static subject.
Organized as a three-day intensive block, we begin on Day One by establishing a didactic foundation, focusing on the theoretical frameworks necessary to foster and assess oral proficiency through the collaborative design of evidence-based speaking tasks. On Day Two, we move from theory into the 'living city' via direct implementation; students will pilot their designs with learners at Gesamtschule Giessen Ost, documenting the real-world mechanics of verbal exchange. We conclude on Day Three with a critical reflective session dedicated to evaluating pedagogical outcomes and analyzing the efficacy of our interventions within the communicative landscape.


Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar explores the transformative potential of integrating authentic literature into the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Moving beyond mere textual analysis, the course focuses on how literature serves as a catalyst for developing communicative, literary, and intercultural communicative competence across all age groups. Participants will examine the didactic principles of literature-based instruction through the lens of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). The curriculum emphasizes the practical application of theory: students will transition from theoretical insights to classroom procedures by designing tasks, selecting suitable text types, and simulating teaching scenarios. By focusing on meaning-making and personal growth, the seminar equips future educators to foster language proficiency through culturally rich, communicative engagement.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

This seminar explores the transformative potential of integrating authentic literature into the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Moving beyond mere textual analysis, the course focuses on how literature serves as a catalyst for developing communicative, literary, and intercultural communicative competence across all age groups. Participants will examine the didactic principles of literature-based instruction through the lens of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). The curriculum emphasizes the practical application of theory: students will transition from theoretical insights to classroom procedures by designing tasks, selecting suitable text types, and simulating teaching scenarios. By focusing on meaning-making and personal growth, the seminar equips future educators to foster language proficiency through culturally rich, communicative engagement.

Prerequisites:
Teacher Education Programme: Successful completion of Modules TEFL I and TEFL II
Anglophone Studies MA Programme: BA

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Ungraded: Regular attendance, active participation in class
Graded: in addition to the above, a term paper

Exam period:
Term paper to be submitted by March 15, 2027.

Registration: FlexNow

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.

When it was published in 1851, Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick was a far cry from a commercial or critical success – many of its contemporary readers simply didn't know what to make of this strange, bulky book. Today, Moby-Dick is widely considered to be one of the "Great American Novels". In bibliographic databases and library catalogues, you'll be hard-pressed to find any other American novel that has generated more secondary literature.

To come to terms with its belated significance and ongoing relevance, this class is dedicated to (re-)reading just this one literary work: Moby-Dick. Throughout the semester, we will go through it bit by bit, immersing ourselves in its many themes, historical contexts, formal structures, and genres. In addition, we will familiarize ourselves with a variety of critical approaches, including recent works in eco-criticism, post- and decolonial approaches, feminist and queer readings, critical race studies, and world literature, among others.

Prerequisites: Students in this class should be capable of, and willing to, delve into such an extensive and complex work with the necessary depth and perseverance. Reading Moby-Dick is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared for an experience of slow reading. Familiarity with 19th-century (American) literature is beneficial but not a requirement. We're all at sea.

Requirements: All students are expected to give an oral presentation (ca. 20 minutes, followed by a discussion) that thoroughly introduces a specific critical approach to the novel.

For the sake of referenceability, it is crucial that all participants have a copy of the Oxford World's Classics edition of the novel (2022, ed. Hester Blum, ca. €10). Further material will be provided via StudIP.

Welcome! This class is designed to familiarize students with prototypical and representative examples of Renaissance poetry. Furthermore, the participants will learn how to analyze poetry by looking at rhyme schemes, types of metre, and rhetorical devices. We will begin by discussing the question of what the Renaissance is, when it took place, and why it is such an important period in the history of English literature. We will then move on to a discussion of the sonnet tradition (ranging from Sir Thomas Wyatt to John Milton) in early modern England. A major emphasis will be placed on William Shakespeare's sonnet cycle as well as the similarities and differences between Petrarchan (or Italian) and Shakespearean (or English) sonnets. In a second step, we will deal with the witty and highly sexualized poems by the so-called Metaphysical Poets.