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74909-01 - Course: Introduction to Hermeneutics and Poetry Interpretation (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers |
Constantin Sinn (c.sinn@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Ilya Skokleenko (ilya.skokleenko@unibas.ch) |
| Content | When we read a poem, we often find that its meaning repeatedly eludes us and cannot be clearly deciphered. The ›message‹ of a poem (if there is one) often seems ambiguous or ›dark‹ to us. We then ask ourselves how can we even comprehend something so incomprehensible? In this seminar, we are more interested in the process of understanding that underlies an interpretation than in the ›correct‹ decoding of a poem. In general, we understand interpretation as an extension of meaning, in that it brings to light something that even the author of the poem may not have realized. Together we want to learn: 1. To articulate our own understanding and non-understanding when interpreting. 2. To understand the theory of understanding, called hermeneutics, in its historicity and to explore the conditions of the possibility of understanding and interpreting. 3. To explore the relationship between poem and interpretation on the one hand, and between the interpretations themselves on the other. Based on the concept of »Doppelinterpretationen« (›double interpretations‹; 1966) by the German poet Hilde Domin, where the poem is juxtaposed with an interpretation by the poem's author and an interpretation by a literary scholar, in the seminar we will create a chain of different interpretations to see how the meaning of the text changes. Alongside our own interpretations (group work), we intend to invite guests: a poet and a literary scholar, who will each share their interpretation of a poem with us. We will also have AI make interpretations to compare with ours. This is an interphilological course, i.e. we will get to know concepts of interpretation from German and Slavic Studies, which are interesting for any philology. To get a basic understanding of modern hermeneutics, we will look at positions such as Friedrich Schlegel’s »Essay on Incomprehensibility« (1800), Friedrich Schleiermacher’s »Hermeneutics and Criticism« (1838) and Peter Szondi’s »Introduction to Literary Hermeneutics« (1975). We will further explore the historical perspective of the Soviet school of hermeneutics and semiotics. Starting with Mikhail Bakhtin, we will explore his theory of dialogism and the concept of the literary chronotope, which emphasizes the multiplicity of voices and the interconnectedness of time and space in the works of poetry. We will then turn to Juri Lotman, the leading figure of the Tartu-Moscow Semiotic school, who introduced the notion of the semiosphere - an interconnected semiotic space - and whose seminal work Analysis of the Poetic Text (1976) has been pivotal in understanding the complexity of literary structures. Mikhail Gasparov’s contributions will also be discussed, focusing on his work History of European Versification (1996) which provides comprehensive analyses of poetic forms and their evolution. Finally, we will examine Merab Mamardashvili’s seminal contributions to the gnoseological aspects of analysis and synthesis, his insights into the relationship between consciousness and aesthetics, and his meta-theoretical approaches to language and consciousness. This exploration will provide a robust framework for understanding the processes of literary interpretation. |
| Learning objectives | • Learning how the history of hermeneutics and thus the understanding of texts has changed • Interpreting a poem and changing, revising or completely overturning your own interpretation • Understanding other perspectives on the poem • Dealing with hermetic poems and barriers to understanding • Learning how to work with critical-philological editions |
| Bibliography | The course catalogue is provided at the beginning of the semester. |
| Comments | The course is offered for BA students. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-täglich | Friday | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 28.02.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Friday 14.03.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Fasnachstferien |
| Friday 28.03.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Friday 11.04.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Friday 25.04.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Friday 09.05.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Friday 23.05.2025 | 12.15-16.00 | Deutsches Seminar, Seminarraum 3 |
| Modules |
Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: German Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: French Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Spanish Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Italian Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology (Start of studies before 01.08.2022)) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree program: Ancient Civilizations) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Slavic Studies) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: German Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: French Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Spanish Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Italian Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: German Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Latin Philology) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Nordic Philology) Modul: Interphilologie: Literaturwissenschaft MA (Master's Studies - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Departement Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaften |