This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Often vacillating wildly between the terrible and the comic, Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel of blood and passion stands as one of the greatest and most baffling masterpieces of Gothic fiction. The work brings together a host of disparate but compelling themes: tensions between antiquity and modernity, the powers and limitations of technology, the critical importance of feminine virtue, the difference between superstition and religion, the nature of evil, and the complex relationship between ancient faith and scientific enlightenment.
Total classes: 6
Prerequisite: Reading of Chapters 1-12 of Dracula before the first day of class
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: ½ semester credit for Literature or English
Description
Often vacillating wildly between the terrible and the comic, Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel of blood and passion stands as one of the greatest and most baffling masterpieces of Gothic fiction. The work brings together a host of disparate but compelling themes: tensions between antiquity and modernity, the powers and limitations of technology, the critical importance of feminine virtue, the difference between superstition and religion, the nature of evil, and the complex relationship between ancient faith and scientific enlightenment. In addition, the work opens up the door to consideration of the vast and fascinating traditions of folklore, literature, and the preternatural. Our studies will also address its biographical and historical context, providing insight into the late Victorian Period. In this course, we will unpack the strange monster that is Dracula, and study it together over six classes.
Outline
Class one: Chapters 1-5.
Class two: Chapters 6-10.
Class three: Chapters 11-15.
Class four: Chapters 16-20.
Class five: Chapters 21-24.
Class six: Chapters 25-27 (Plus Final Note).
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: Bram Stoker, Dracula (Any edition permitted, but the Ignatius Critical Edition is highly recommended, ISBN 978-1586174941 (https://amzn.to/3kt7337). The novel is also available for free via Project Gutenberg.
Homework: Completing the assigned reading for each class; taking quizzes. There are 6 identification quizzes in this course (each worth 10 points), a mid-course quiz (worth 100 points), a “practical planning for the end” assignment, and 1 “concluding thoughts” quiz (worth 100 points).
OPTIONAL PAPER PROJECT: There is an optional paper project associated with this class. The project involves several stages of development and editing, including:
- Brainstorming
- Draft 1
- Draft 2
- Draft 3
- Final draft
For each stage, I will provide feedback, suggestions, and edits. At the project’s completion, I will provide a recommended grade.
