Welcome to The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen , Scand. Studies 475

 


Odense, Denmark


The instructor for this course is Nete Schmidt


You can contact me by email at aschmidt2@wisc.edu.

Office hours for Fall are by appointment and Tuesday and Thursday 11:00-12:00 am
in 1368 Van Hise Hall.

When you sign up for Scand. Studies 475, you
will perform additional work in order to fulfill
the requirement of an intermediate level class.

During one of the first days of classes, we will
meet as a group and determine a Saturday or
Sunday morning during the semester when
we can meet.

You will give a 15-minute presentation and
lead a 15-minute group discussion, and this
will constitute 25% of your grade.

Here is a list of topics you can choose for your
presentation. You may also choose another,
individual, topic for presentation, but you need
to receive my acceptance before you start planning it.

Possible Assignments:

Andersen's Childhood, "The Princess on the Pea"


Folk Tales:"Snow White" - various versions, handouts


Andersen and Romanticism and Sexuality. "Holger the Dane." Excerpt from Life of a Storyteller, handout, "The Bell," “The Initiation”

Andersen and Disney. "The Mermaid", the movie, handout

Andersen, Philosophy, and Religion. "A Leaf from Heaven," "The Snail and the Rosebush." Excerpts from Kierkegaard, Either/Or, handout

Andersen and Criticism. Contemporary critical approaches, handout. “How to Cook Soup upon a Sausage Pin”

Andersen and Traveling. "Rambles in the Hartzen Mountains", handout. “The Flying Trunk.”


 

Official UW Syllabus

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Syllabus, Scand. Studies 475, The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.
Credits: 4
Course URL: https://canvas.wisc.edu/courses/119830

MWF 12:05-12:55, 5208 Social Sciences
Instructional Mode: Face-to-Face
Credit hours: Traditional Carnegie Definition
Instructor: Faculty Associate Nete Schmidt, Ph.D.
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 11am-12 am and by appointment
Email: aschmidt2@wisc.edu
Course Description:

Hans Christian Andersen lived in Denmark from 1805 - 1875. He is one of the
best-known writers in the world, and his tales have been translated into numerous languages.

His writings span many genres and include much more than the "fairy" tales which made him famous. In this class, however, we will focus on the tales. They can be read by young and old alike, but it is quite certain that as an adult you will have a much stronger appreciation of the complexities and important messages in his tales. They are not mere "children's tales" but contain, wit, humor, sharp observations, social criticism, and existential thoughts, among many others They are.composed in a way that guarantees them well-deserved immortality.

We will read a variety of tales, discuss them, place them in a historical context, and also try to build a picture in our mind of Andersen, the writer. Maybe you will even be inspired to visit Denmark and his native city of Odense.

Prerequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
The students will gain an ability to identify and understand the categories of folk tales and fairy tales by Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Asbørnsen and Moe.

The students will analyze and discuss the important features of the tales introduced and read in class.

The students will achieve the ability to compose and produce writing that applies the concepts introduced to describe, analyze, and differentiate the tales read in class.

The students will be able to place the tale in the historical context of the 19th Century and its defining Literary Movements.

The students will demonstrate individual, independent work in presentations and discussions about selected topics.

The students will demonstrate profound knowledge of Hans Christian Andersen., his writings, and his time.

Grading:
Three exams: 20% each
Presentation: 20%
Participation: 20%

Required Textbooks:

Hans Christian Andersen, The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories
Translated by Erik Christian Haugaard,
Anchor Books, ISBN 0-385-18951-6

The other required reading - which you cannot find online - is:
Danish Folk Tales, Collected by M. Winther (1823)
WITS II, Number 5

More Than Just Fairy Tales (MTJFT)
ed. Julie Allen
Cognella Press, 2013

The class has three exams. 2 in class and 1 final exam.

Homework:
Homework is assigned for every class.

Accommodations for students with disabilities:
The University of Wisconsin-Madison supports the right of all enrolled students to a full and equal educational opportunity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wisconsin State Statute (36.12), and UW-Madison policy (Faculty Document 1071) require that students with disabilities be reasonably accommodated in instruction and campus life. Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities is a shared faculty and student responsibility. Students are expected to inform faculty [me] of their need for instructional accommodations by the end of the third week of the semester, or as soon as possible after a disability has been incurred or recognized. Faculty [I], will work either directly with the student [you] or in coordination with the McBurney Center to identify and provide reasonable instructional accommodations. Disability information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student's educational record, is confidential and protected under FERPA.

Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.