SCAND 427 A: Scandinavian Women Writers in English Translation
Joint listed: CLIT 320 B/GLITS 311 A/GWSS 429; Cross listed: SCAND 590 A
Course theme: The Journey - Rejsen
This is a course in literary and cultural studies focused on a selection of novels, short stories, memoirs, essays, as well as a verse-novel written by Scandinavian women. The selected literature includes Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish-Sámi texts in English translation. The course investigates these works by women writers from the late nineteenth-century to the present day with attention to feminist concerns, partner relations, marriage, parenthood, reproductive rights, and sexuality.
In winter quarter 2025, the course explores “the journey” (rejsen) as represented in these literary works about women's lives. The journey or passage depicted may be personal, physical or spiritual. It may be a inter-generational journey, a story of migration or travel from one place to another. In any case, we will examine these journeys in the context of the environments that women traverse – whether the land, oceans, forests or domestic and urban environments. In the context of environmental representations, we will investigate how human relationships are depicted in the lives of Scandinavian and Indigenous (Sámi) women. Novels, short stories, memoirs and epic poetry tell compelling stories of love, marriage, parenthood, and also death in the Nordic region. What are the legal and social codes around marriage, parenthood, and reproductive rights and how are these codes and norms represented and challenged in literary works written by women in the modern period? How do these works of literature represent Nordic culture, history, and society?
The focus on the theme of the journey and these kinds of questions will guide our exploration of historical and contemporary literature produced by some of the celebrated women writers of the Nordic region. In fulfilling the diversity requirement (DIV credits), we pay particular attention in our discussions to questions of class, sex and gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
Student Learning Objectives:
- Practice the skill of “deep reading” (i.e. 30 minutes of daily reading– ideally, without electronic devices present and highlighting with pen or pencil)
- Gain an understanding of literary studies in the context of feminist criticism and gender studies, including knowledge of Nordic (women) writers and socio-political developments.
- Encourage thinking critically about topics such as power, inequality, and marginality in order to support effective communication skills.
- Exercise the tools of text analysis and improve critical writing skills to address topics in culture, literature, and society.
Preparation: Class meetings will be a combination of lecture and discussion. Please come prepared with questions and observations relating to the assigned text for that meeting. Lecture outlines (pdf. of PowerPoint slides) are posted (usually right after class) on Canvas under Modules. Online discussions will be posted on Canvas, under “Discussions.”
Required editions and English translations (3 books to purchase at U Bookstore):
- Amalie Skram, Betrayed, trans. from Norwegian by Katherine Hanson.
- Tove Ditlevsen, The Copenhagen Trilogy, trans. from Danish by Nunnally & Goldman.
- Linnea Axelsson, Ædnan: An Epic, trans. from Swedish by Saskia Vogel.
In addition, we will read the following texts posted on Canvas:
- Aino Kallas, "The Wolf’s Bride” (trans. from Finnish).
- Minna Canth, "Anna-Liisa" (trans. from Finnish).
- Nella Larsen, Selection from Quicksand, 1929 (in English).
- Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen), from Seven Gothic Tales ("The Supper at Elisinore") and an essay.
Evaluation criteria: Grades will be based on course participation, contributions to discussions (both in-person and online), two short “critical response” papers and term paper on an approved topic. The course grade will be based on the following assignments.
Paper format: All papers must be double-spaced; 1 inch margins; 12 point font and submitted on Canvas in “Assignments” (use only Word or pdf formats).
40% Two critical response papers (2 pages; ca. 500 words each)
10% Topic proposal for paper (1 page; max. 250 words) with short bibliography.
40% Term paper (6 – 8 pages; 1,500 – 2,000 words, total)
10% Regular class participation; (4) online discussions; “class conference” (March 7)
SCAND 590A (graduate students in Scandinavian Studies): Graduate students (enrolled in SCAND 590A) complete the same course requirements as undergraduate students. Further, graduate students are expected to fulfill the following additional criteria: reading (and citing) the texts in the original Scandinavian languages [Finnish texts may be read in English translation]; the final assignment is a “seminar paper” of about 10 pages in length (or min 2,500 words), with citations in the original language/s and including references to relevant secondary/critical literature. (Assigned texts in the original languages are provided on Canvas in the separate Module for SCAND 590A).
Religious Accommodations Policy: Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/)
Links to an external site.. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/)