This course concentrates on the significance of settings in fiction, and on how descriptions of landscape influence the thematic structure of texts. We will be considering the aesthetics of different kinds of landscapes, analyzing their social and psychological effects through their literary depictions. We will also be touching on various theoretical approaches, including ecocriticism, and using some concepts from spatial theory and cultural geography to make sense of the texts. Thematically, the emphasis will often – though not exclusively – fall on the relationship between humanity and nature. The texts will cover a wide range of historical circumstances and real-world geographical locations. The course aims at suggesting, among other things, that descriptions of setting can be just as important in literature as the events narrated.

Assessment: class participation, a short presentation, and a course diary.