IDS 1157 - Hunting for Dracula

Credits: 2
In this course, students retrace the steps of Dracula and the people he hunts (and is hunted by) in two vampire novels: Bram Stoker’s classic Dracula (1897) and Elizabeth Kostova’s  The Historian (2005), a provocative re-imagining of the Dracula legend set in the 20th century. Stoker’s novel follows a group of British people as they encounter Dracula in Romania   and their native England. Kostova’s The Historian follows three generations of scholars as they search for Dracula’s secret tomb and library in Eastern Europe. Both authors base the  character of Dracula on Vlad Dracula/Tepes, the infamous 15th-century Romanian warlord. On this tour, we will visit three locations prominent in these novels and the historical  Dracula’s life: Romania, England, and Istanbul, Turkey. Like the two novels we will study, the course will be as much about history-especially the history of imperialistic conquest and  cross-cultural tensions-as it is about vampires. We will examine the medieval clash between Islam and Christianity in Southeastern Europe, in which Vlad Tepes played a central role,  and the impact of which is still felt in the modern world. We will also consider how scholars interpret and evaluate historical records generated by authors on different sides of cross-cultural conflicts. Finally, we will examine the role that literature plays in representing and even shaping history,  as well as our experiences as travelers. Is it possible to find the “real” Dracula, the “real” Transylvania, or even the “real” Victorian London, once they are fictionalized in a powerful novel?
Note: Registration in a study tour does not guarantee participation.  The faculty leader for the study must provide final approval for all registered students to participate. By registering for  this class you agree to allow the Office of Student Affairs to review and approve your student record along with the faculty instructor of the class. Your enrollment in this class is not final  until Student Affairs and the faculty instructor for the class approve your registration.

 
McDaniel Plan: January Term; Experiential