Jaroslav Hasek, The Good Soldier Svejk Franz Kafka, The Trial Hana Volavkov , ed. . . Never Saw Another Butterfly . . .
Czech literature is inseparable from Czech history.
This history has often been a painful one, indelibly marked by both the horror of the Nazi occupation and the repression of the Communist regime. While such catastrophic events have had an enormous impact on Czech culture, so too has Czech resistance and resilience in the face of such violence and oppression, and Czech literature reflects this dual aspect of the Czech identity. Using Ivan Kl ma's The Spirit of Prague as our guide to the Czech experience, we will begin our survey with Jaroslav Hasek's subversively comic novel The Good Soldier Svjek , followed by the nightmarish world of Franz Kafka's The Trial . Because we will situate the literature in its historical context, you will also gain insight into Czech history and culture in particular, as well as the relationship between literature and history in general. In this course you will be expected to read carefully and thoughtfully, and to attend and participate in class regularly.