WAUKESHA – Believing that the literature of a society reveals its inner drives as well as its historical record, University of Wisconsin-Waukesha German lecturer Jim Frankki, Waukesha, has developed a course on “Viking Tales and the Discovery of America,” which will be offered for the first time in spring semester 2005. Using English translations of Viking writings to spur discussion, he will teach this class from 6:00 to 8:45 on Monday evenings. The semester begins January 24.
Resident tuition for the 3-credit course is $492, or $140 to audit. Seniors aged 60 and over can audit for free.
In the class, Frankki will focus on the literature of medieval Scandinavia, as preserved in the Poetic Edda and the sagas of the Icelanders. Based on the readings, the class will analyze the impact of the Vikings on world history, investigate reasons the Vikings left home and settled in Iceland, learn how they made it across the Atlantic in such small boats with almost no navigational equipment, piece together their role in the discovery of America, and find out what happened in their first settlement here. In addition, the class will look at some of the linguistic roots, such as the origin of the word “berserkr” and who the berserkrs were.
Readings include Thor and the Hammer, Hrafnkell’s Saga, Gisli’s Saga, The Volsunga Saga, The Saga of Eric the Red, The Saga of King Harald, and more.
For information on the course, contact Frankki at (262) 521-5468. For information about admission, programs or financial aid, contact the Student Services office at (262) 521-5200 or visit the Web at waukesha.uwc.edu.
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