COMP LIT 122—Fall 2016 Thirteen Ways of Looking at Intermediality

Dr Cécile Guédon

Is ‘intermediality’ a unified object of study? If so, what kind of challenges do we face when attempting to look at a variety of media in one glance? What does it mean to look at ‘inter-mediality’ (versus trans-, multi- or new media)? The lecturer and the students will be engaged in a collaborative effort to devise one ‘intermediality toolkit’, ready for use and direct application in individual research projects.

Sept. 6—Nov. 29 | :.

Tues. 4-6, Dana-Palmer Seminar Room http://thirteenintermedialways.tumblr.com/

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COMP LIT 122—Fall 2016 Thirteen Ways of Looking at Intermediality

Cécile Guédon cguedon@fas.harvard.edu Office Hours: Tues. and Weds. 6-7 pm Office: Dana-Palmer 203 Phone: (+1) 617-495-1715

Classes—Tuesdays: 4-6, Dana-Palmer 102 Screenings—Thursdays: 4-6, location tba

Course description— Is ‘intermediality’ a unified object of study? If so, what kind of challenges do we face when attempting to look at a variety of media in one glance? What does it mean to look at ‘inter-mediality’ (versus trans-, multi- or new media)? What kind of things lying in-between media can be of epistemological interest—how can we theorize these intersections, mismatches, crossovers, gaps, or overlaps occurring in an intermedial fashion? “Thirteen Ways” is an introductory course in the study of the Comparative Arts, which explores various ways of theorizing the interaction between art forms (music, architecture, visual arts, performing arts and literature). A great deal of emphasis is placed on methodology as well as on the theory of intermediality; the course has been designed in such a way that the lecturer and the students will be engaged in a collaborative effort to devise an ‘intermediality toolkit’, ready for use and direct application in individual research projects. The course consists of thirteen sessions, each providing a different perspective on the theoretical challenges and the critical practices of intermediality. The first ten sessions (1 to 9) are focussed each on one intermedial concept, anchored in one aesthetic domain, and studied in its relation with the other arts. The last three sessions (10 to 13) are devoted to the elaboration of a set of notions to be used transversally. In the final session (13) we will also expand on the theoretical and methodological insights gained during the course. During the first ten sessions (1 to 9) active participation is required, on the basis of class discussion and short presentations. During the last four sessions (10 to 13) students are invited to present a pilot study of their final project. “Thirteen Ways” is designed to deepen the students’ skills for critical analysis when investigating features of intermediality—such as formal ‘remediation’, thematic ‘migration’, and historical ‘hybridation’ occurring between arts and across centuries, cultural domains or linguistic boundaries. Attendance—Students are expected to attend all classes from beginning to end, including the two film screenings and the two visits to Harvard Libraries. Please be sure to come to the office hours at least twice during the semester. Absence from more than two classes will affect the final grade. It is necessary to contact the lecturer ahead of time about foreseen absences or documented medical leaves. Course materials—All texts, primary and secondary sources will be posted on the course website.

Required books—All available at the Harvard Coop: 1. Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal (1868) 2. Julio Cortázar, The Devil’s Drool (1959) 3. Vachel Lindsay, The Art of the Moving Picture (1905) 4. André Malraux, The Museum Without Walls (1946) Assessments— Weekly responses—150-300 words per week in articulation with the theme (class blog) (5%) Oct. 4 | Writing Deadline 1 | Visual paper | 750-1000 words (15%) Nov. 1 | Writing Deadline 2 | Performative paper | 750-1000 words (15%) Nov. 29 | Writing Deadline 3 | Theory paper| 750-1000 words (15%) Dec. 6 | Writing Deadline 4 | Final paper | 2750-3000 words (40%) Class participation—Two interventions per class; two visits to office hours (10%)

Screenings— 1. Oct. 27 | Pina Bausch, Orpheus and Eurydice (Ballet—‘Danced Opera’) (2005) 2. Nov. 17 | Oskar Fischinger, “Spirals” ; “ Study #6” ; “Study #7” in Ten Films, Centre for Visual Music (2006)

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Calendar

1. Visual Forms (1656-1966)

Week 1 | 1. Synaesthesia—Intermediality in Question Charles Baudelaire—Les Fleurs du mal (1868) “Correspondances” Sept. 6

Week 2 | 2. Texture—Music Claude Debussy—Images pour le piano (1904-1905) “Reflets dans l’eau” (score to be provided) Sept. 13

Week 3 | 3. Perspective—Painting Diego Velázquez—Las Meninas (1656) Sept. 20

Week 4 | 4. Absence—Photography Michelangelo Antonioni—Blow-Up (1966) Sept. 27 Oct. 4 | Writing deadline 1 | Visual Paper (750 words)

2. Performative Forms (1937—1935)

Week 5 | 5. Presence—Cinema Chris Marker—La Jetée (1952) Oct. 4

Week 6 | 6. Site—Sculpture Robert Smithson—Spiral Jetty (1970) Oct. 11 Week 7 | 7. Circulation—Architecture Frank L. Wright—The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (1937) Oct. 18

Week 8 | 8. Flux—Dance Yvonne Rainer—Room Service (1963) Oct. 25

Nov. 2 | Writing Deadline 2 | Performative Paper (750 words)

3. Gesamtkunstwerke—Intermediality in Theory (1905-1999) Week 9 | 9. Narrative—Literature Julio Cortázar—‘The Devil’s Drool’ (1959) Nov. 2

Week 10 | 10. Dialogue—Counterpoint Merce Cunningham—Biped (1999) Nov. 9

Week 11 | 11. Juxtaposition—Montage Vachel Lindsay—The Art of the Moving Picture (1905) Nov. 16

Nov. 17 | Screening | Oskar Fischinger, “Spirals” ; “ Study #6” ; “Study #7” in Ten Films, Centre for Visual Music (2006)

Week 12 | 12. Orchestration—Kaleidoscope

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Oskar Fischinger—Ten Films, Centre for Visual Music (2006) Nov. 23

Week 13 | 13. Remediation—Hybrid André Malraux—The Museum Without Walls (1947) Nov. 29

Nov. 29 | Writing deadline 3 | Theory Paper (750 words) Dec. 7 | Writing deadline 4 | Final paper (2750 words)

Reading Practices

1. The literary texts and art pieces we will study are few—one per session—and brief—often short statements—for the most part. Rather than covering extensive ground, what matters for this course is that you develop a sharp attention to details, and an ability to relate discrete parts with larger (thematic, generic, historic) wholes. We’ll build connections from inside the stylistic fabric of these works but also from within our corpus at large. 2. There are very few (if any) secondary sources: you are encouraged to actively find some, ask me for more, and read them at your leisure; however, the primary goal for this course is to refine your own critical voice through a direct engagement with the texts. Secondary sources are therefore appreciated but not essential. 3. As we read this selection of thirteen works, the thirteen intermedial concepts we will uncover are: Synaesthesia, Texture, Perspective, Absence, Presence, Site, Circulation, Flux, Narrative, Dialogue, Juxtaposition, Orchestration, Remediation. They are intended as thematic guidelines to orient our reading of these works together ; they should not, however, pre-empt your own interpretation. In other words, they are open to revisions, if we decide they are necessary. We’ll test their validity in class. I look forward to lively discussions in the course of the semester.

Response Paper Assignments

4. In engaging with the weekly materials, it is crucial that you focus on the poetic techniques (meter, free verse, prose poetry, lexicon, rhythm, metaphor) covered in class, in connection to the comparison with dance. In the weekly response (150-300 words) you’re asked to answer some of the questions posed by the course. The response papers are due on Sundays, 5 pm.

Short Paper and Final Paper Assignments

5. In the first part of the semester, we’ll focus on four visual effects poetry can deploy to represent motion. In the second, we’ll move to four performative layers which are instrumental for emulating dance in poetic terms. In the third part, we’ll consider the poems as prompts (or scores) for theatrical performances. Each of these three papers (Visual: Oct. 5 ; Musical: Nov. 2 ; and Performative: Nov. 30) will be an in-depth analysis (750-1000 words) of one aspect of the dancing poetics for any one text covered in class. 6. In the final paper (Dec. 6), you will choose a work we haven’t discussed in class from one of the screenings assigned (Pina Bausch or Oskar Fischinger). However, we can talk about other options during the office hours. You will be asked to integrate those three levels (visual, performative and theoretical) into one coherent commentary on a new piece of your own choosing—by an artist we will have already encountered in class (2750-3000 words). 7. Since the written assignments are brief, structure is paramount; the three small essays need a clear design and a proper introduction with a conclusion. This is true also for the final paper, in which you’ll showcase the literary skills learned throughout the course. We’ll cover the technique of the commentary in class; for now please note that the wordcount is an important factor, with a tolerance of 10% (+/-). 8. Extensions to hand in written work late can only be granted if the matter has been discussed well ahead of time with the lecturer.

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Class Participation and Grading

9. Class participation is vital and graded: you’re expected to make two interventions per class—even a quick comment on each text at hand will do (10%).

10. The final grade is calculated as follows: Paper #1 (15%), Paper #2 (15%), Paper #3 (15%), and Final Paper (40%). Grades will be raised or lowered to reflect class participation (10%), weekly postings on the course blog (5%), and attending twice the office hours.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities—Students needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a documented disability must present their Faculty Letter from the Accessible Education Office (AEO) and speak with the lecturer by the end of the second week of the term: September 16th. Failure to do so may result in the lecturer’s inability to respond in a timely manner. All discussions will remain confidential.

Collaboration Policy, Academic Integrity and Harvard College Honor Code—All papers and exams must be the student’s own work. What this means is that students are permitted, and expected, to discuss their ideas with the instructors and other students as well as to request and accept advice from them. But if a piece of information or an idea comes from someone else, students should do the same thing that they would do when it comes from a book, an article, or online: cite the source. All academic work is collaborative in the sense that it builds on what others have written. Using such material is not plagiarism as long as it is appropriately cited. When using the same words as the source, put them inside quotation marks. If you are uncertain in a particular case: ask, don’t guess. For final projects, students must include the following affirmation statement at the time of submission: “I affirm my awareness of the standards of the Harvard College Honor Code.” The regulations are available here—http://honor.fas.harvard.edu/

Pass/Fail and Auditor Policy—Permitted.

Personal Electronic Device Policy—Not permitted. Course texts will be available here—http://poetryinfluxdanceafoot.tumblr.com/