Intendierte Lernergebnisse
By way of hands-on lecture input, student projects and presentations as well as self-directed studying, students will practice and thus acquire critical/cultural thinking skills that will help them develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the hero's journey/anti-hero and its various facets.Carefully chosen examples which make the subject easier to understand and highlight specific themes and concepts: to be announced (in class).Important notice: Blended Learning integrates thoughtfully structured online activities into face-to-face courses. Detailed instructions about the schedule and procedure will be provided via e-mail and Moodle. To stay up-to-date, please make sure to check your AAU inboxes on a regular basis.
Lehrmethodik inkl. Einsatz von eLearning-Tools
(1) Dynamic lecture inputs for theoretical and basic background(2) Close readings of reading assignments (close reading for literary analysis)(3) In-class discussions(4) Video essays, presentations, quiz...... and much more!
Inhalt/e
The Stages of the Hero's JourneyJoseph Campbell hammered out a mighty link of the chain, a set of observations known as The Hero’s Journey. In books like The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Power of Myth, and The Inner Reaches of Outer Space, Campbell reported on the synthesis he found while comparing the myths and legends of many cultures. The Hero’s Journey was his all-embracing metaphor for the deep inner journey of transformation that heroes in every time and place seem to share, a path that leads them through great movements of separation, descent, ordeal, and return. (Christopher Vogler)All stories consist of common structural elements of Stages found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, literature, movies and video games. As you explore the various examples that follow, you'll find that the Hero's Journey provides a flexible and adaptable model with the potential for an infinite variety of shapes and progressions of Stages. The Journey's Stages may be avoided, repeated, or shifted about depending upon the needs of the individual story.What Makes a Character an Anti-Hero?Is Batman a hero, or an anti-hero? What about James Bond? Or Arya Stark on Game of Thrones? In each case, those characters behave more like anti-heroes than heroes as an anti-hero is a compromised hero, frequently torn between upholding their own ideals and doing what’s personally convenient. Instead of clearly and unequivocally standing FOR something, an anti-hero stands for AN END regardless of the MEANS used to achieve it. Their ends are often the same as a hero’s values — like truth, justice, equality — but the means they use to achieve and defend those ends make it impossible for them to entirely stand against something. For example, Batman is a vigilante. He believes in justice, but his methods for defeating crime lead him to work outside the law. James Bond is a secret agent with a license to kill. He believes in protecting the world (and especially his home nation of the United Kingdom) from evil, but he’s empowered to break the law, spy, steal, murder, and casually commit war crimes, all under cover of being the good guy. And Arya Stark seeks justice and equality in a world filled with corruption and brutality… which leads her to adopt those same methods in order to “win” a game that corrupts all players.Since the 19th Century, our most popular stories usually aren’t about heroes. Instead, they’re about anti-heroes. So what’s the difference exactly, and why are traditional “heroes” getting so hard to find?Primarily tackling unique themes and concepts of the hero's journey and anti-hero in literature and, at times, other related media/topics (e.g., drama, film, video games), students are encouraged to learn the basic principles, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of literary texts and more. Specific examples will then highlight the importance of taking a closer look at what makes analyzing (anti-)heroes so fascinating.
Erwartete Vorkenntnisse
No prior knowledge required.
Literatur
Reading packets will be provided in digital form on a regular basis. There is no need to buy any books.