1

Introductory lesson.

Periodization of Czech literary tradition – dominant and covering eras.

Key topics and questions reflected and influencing Czech and central European context.

Older Czech literature - historical context, new perspectives on forming Czech and central European identity.

2

Dawn of the modern literature. Romantic and wild.

Mácha – May

3

Emancipation of the nation and the most famous Czech female writer Božena Němcová educated in German, married Czech called Němec (Němec means German) and modern in literary expression.

Němcová – The Grandmother

4

Fin de siècle – beginning of the century – war and its reflections.

Hašek – Good Soldier Švejk.

5

A World Appart and Other Stories. Female writers in Czech literary tradition.

From Majerová to Součková.

Female short stories.

6

Avantgarde – utopia – antiutopia – politics – visions.

Čapek – R.U.R.

7

War and Jewish experience.

Weil – Medelson is on the Roof. Life with a Star.

8

Post was period. Re-examination of the truth. Under the Communist ideology.

Škvorecký – The Cowards, Hrabal – Too Loud a Solitude, Kundera – The Joke

9

Recognition of award-winning authors. Interdiction, Nobel-Prize and statue in the Congress.

Seifert – On the Waves of TSF, Havel – Audience

10

Velvet literature from 1989 up to now.

11

Final test.

Chosen books.

12

Closing the semester.