Description
This seminar develops close reading skills as we consider the portrayal of the Law and of the legal system in selected works of literature. In the first unit, we will analyse Paul Celan’s poem “Todesfuge” – a text which depicts the horrors of the concentration camps and illustrates in devastating fashion what happens when people are deprived of their basic rights.The second unit of the course focuses on Ferdinand von Schirach’s play Terror, which was published in 2015 and quickly became a global theatre phenomenon. In this courtroom drama, the spectators assume the role of jurors and must arrive at a verdict, which is delivered at the end of each live performance. Von Schirach’s thought-provoking play challenges audience and readers alike to grapple with complex ethical questions and to consider issues of guilt and responsibility.
In the third part of the course, we will explore two parables by Franz Kafka: “Der Schlag ans Hoftor” and “Vor dem Gesetz”. These texts raise important questions about access to the Law and about the labyrinthine apparatus often surrounding it.