Readings:
- Freud, “The Uncanny”, 1919, in Volume 17 of The Standard Edition of the Complete Works of Sigmund Freud, pp. 219-256. Reserve.
- ETA Hoffmann, “The Sandman” from Tales of Hoffmann. Reserve.
- Jorge Luis Borges, “The Other” in Collected Fictions, pp. 411- 417. Reserve.
Our focus for this class will be the double.
How is a double a form of imitation? How is this kind of imitation presented and experienced? How and why is the double an enduring symbol? How is it perceived in the modern (19th c.) period?
To answer these questions we will begin with Freud’s essay on the uncanny. Your first task is to understand Freud’s text. It is not the easiest text, so expect to spend a little time on it. Come to class with good notes on his main points and pay special attention to the areas that seem to say something about the double, or about imitation. Read Borges’ story “The Double” second, again thinking about the idea of the double and what it means. Finally read Hoffmann’s tale (it is discussed in Freud’s text). Spend the bulk of your time figuring out Freud’s essay and be prepared to summarize it.
See you Wednesday! I expect to be able to hand back your essay proposals then.
