AKN-372.65
ANN-372.65, AN-372.65, ZAN-KS02.11
19th Century Canadian Fiction (Kanadai regény a XIX. században) in autumn 2006
Jakabfi Anna, Mon 13:30–15:00, ADS 305, host: DAS (R306)
description & set texts
The British Frances Brooke in her epistolary novel of 228 letters introduces to the British reading public life in the new colony: the French, the Indians, the British colonizers who introduce British civilization on the new continents where the frontier has not been set between Canada and the future United States. The feudal society of the conquered New France is shown in Kirby’s The Golden Dog. Through Brooke’s and Kirby’s books life in the new colony gains an all around description in the second half of the 18th century.Women’s task and challenges in the process of settling in the 19th century are amply discussed in Moody’s book of diary. The love of the new land of Canada in spite of the early hardships is shining through from these early pieces of fiction. The mutual animosities of the various Indian tribes draw also the French and the British into their warfares. The role and importance of the immigrants from the British Isles ( the Scots, the Irish, the English) in the process of populating Canada, the life of the Indians, and the Metis of mixed origin are displayed in the various pieces of fiction of the 19th century. Compulsory readings: Frances Brooke: The History of Emily Montague (1769), William Kirby: The Golden Dog, Susannah Moodie: Roughing it in the Bush; as well as short stories, essays from Major John Richardson (excerpts from Wacousta), Pauline Johnson, Ralph Connor, Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Catherine Parr Trail, Sara Jeannette Duncan, May Agnes Fleming, Thomas McCulloch, James De Mille, Thomas Chandler Haliburton from Carl F.Klinck: Canadian Anthology. Secondary sources: (ed)Anna Jakabfi: Continentalism and Nationhood, 2002; Anna Jakabfi: Canada Past and Present – Essays, 2003; Marian Fowler: The Embroidered Tent – 19th Century Women Writers; (ed)Francis Smith:Readings in Canadian History I.,II.,III.; Conrad: History of the Canadian Peoples I.,II., W.H.New: A History of Canadian Literature, New Amsterdam-New York, 1989;Eli Mandel and David Taras: A Passion for Identity – An Introduction to Canadian Studies, 1987; The Canadian Encyclopedia; W.Toye: The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature, 1984; M.Atwood: Survival, 1972; Kenneth McNaught: The Penguin History of Canada; as well as updated Hand-outs available only in classes.
requirements & assessment
active participation in class discussion, one oral presentation of a chosen topic of 20-30 minutes in class, and one home essay of 6-8 pages of A/4 format with at least three references from critical works, and one written examination in class. Assessment : on the basis of fulfilling the requirements.