M.A. Reading List - Area Studies: Literature Short List

Folk and Medieval Literature

1. Finnish Epic: Lönnrot, Elias. Kalevala (1843) [selection: Cantos 1, 10 and 50].

2. Icelandic sagas: The Saga of the People of Laxardal/Laxdæla Saga, ca. 1245.

3. Norse Mythology: Sturluson, Snorri. The Prose Edda, 1220 (selection: “Gylfaginning”)

4. Norwegian folk-tales: Asbjørnson and Moe, Folktales of Norway/Norske folkeeventyr (1841 – 44) [Selection of 3 tales]..

5. Sámi epic: Anders, Fjellner, “The Son of Sun’s Courting in the Land of Giants” (1849).

Gender, Women, and Sexuality

6. Andersen, H.C. Fairy Tales/Eventyr, “The Little Mermaid”/”Den lille Havfrue” (1837)

7. Dinesen, Isak/Karen Blixen, “Babette’s Feast”/Babettes gæstebud; and “The Ring/Ringen (1958).

8. *Ditlevsen, Tove. The Copenhagen Trilogy/Barndom, Ungdom, Gift (1968 – 1971).

9. *Kallas, Aino. The Wolf’s Bride/Sudenmorsian (1928).

10. Martinsson, Moa. Women and Appletrees/Kvinnor och äppelträd (1933).

11. *Skram, Amalie. Betrayed/Forrådt (1891).

Modern Breakthrough and Beyond

12. Bang, Herman. Katinka/Ved Vejen (1884)

13. Brandes, Georg, Introduction to Main Currents/Indledning til Hovedstrømninger (1872) [selection]

14. Ibsen, Henrik. Enemy of the People/En folkefiende, 1882; The Wild Duck/Vildanden, 1884; OR Hedda Gabler, 1891.

15. Strindberg, August. Miss Julie/Fröken Julie, 1890 and A Dream Play/Ett drömspel, 1901.

16. Rainis, Janis. “Fire and Night”/“Uguns un nakts,” 1905.

Modernism in Cinema and Media

17. Maritz Stiller, Sir Arne’s Treasure/Herr Arnes Pengar, 1919.

18. *Carl Th. Dreyer, La Passion de Jeanne d’arc, 1928.

19. Ingmar Bergman, Persona, 1966.

20. Lars von Trier, Breaking the Waves, 1996.

21. *Aki Kaurismäki, The Man without a Past, 2002.

22. TBA: additional film

Transcultural and Colonial Texts

23. Khemiri, Jonas Hassan. A Red Eye/Ett öga rött (2003).

24. Hamsun, Knut. Growth of the Soil/Markens grøder (1917)

25. Korneliussen, Niviaq. Last Night in Nuuk/Homo Sapienne. (2014).

26. *Larsen, Nella. Quicksand (1928).

27. Film: Sami Blood/Sámi Blod

28. Önnepalu, Tonu. Border State/Piiririik, 1993.

War and Borders – National Identities

29. Granauskas, Romualdas. “Red Forest,” “Bread Eaters”/“Raudoni Miskai,” “Duonos Valgytojai,” 1975.

30. Lagerkvist, Pär. The Dwarf/Dvärgen, 1944.

31. Linna, Väinö. Unknown Soldiers/Tuntematon sotilas, 1954 (Selection: chapters 1 -2; 14 – 16).

32. Undset, Sigrid. Return to the Future/Tilbake til fremtiden (1942/1945) (Selection: chapters 1 – 2).

33. Films:The King’s Choice/Kongens nei (2017); OR The Unknown Soldier/Tuntematon sotilas (2017); OR Land of Mine/Under Sandet (2015)

In addition: The MA student is responsible for the Reading List in their target language literature; consisting of 10 works of prose/drama, and at least 10 poems. Danish and Norwegain emphasis lists are posted on Canvas. Faculty members are to provide national literature lists in the other Nordic target languages.

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