Description: A course about the history, sociology, folklore, and literature of banditry, piracy, warlordism, and other forms of what the social sciences call economic predation. What the course will show is that there is more to these phenomena than simple criminality. Their practitioners, even in the real world, often see themselves as members of utopic communities, as anarchic rebels against injustice, as protectors of the poor and downtrodden, as vectors of economic redistribution. Generally regarding by prosperous, lawabiding people as scary and dangerous, these outlaws are often regarded by the common folk as heroes, while the agents of law and government are seen as villains. Strangely, polite society is paradoxically fascinated and titillated by the imagery of predatory rogues, as seen in the names of sports teams (Pirates, Raiders, Buccaneers), or in such multi-media pop-cultural franchises as The Pirates of the Caribbean. The study of these themes will teach the student to describe, discuss, and analyze complex, nuanced, and contradictory social and literary phenomena, and to write concisely about these and related themes.
Texts/Readings:
REQUIRED: The Epic of the Cid; Cervantes, Rinconete and Cortadillo; John Gay, The Beggar's
Opera; R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island.
Selections (included in electronic edition of selected passages, provided by instructor) from: the
Iliad; the Odyssey; Augustine of Hippo, The City of God; medieval Robin Hood tales; Outlaws of
the Marsh (Chinese bandit epic); Don Quijote; Dickens, Oliver Twist; Mariano Azuela, The
Underdogs
RECOMMENDED: Eric Hobsbawm, Primitive Rebels and Bandits; Peter Burke, Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe
OTHER MEDIA (selected possibilities; many others to be referred to during semester)
FILM: Viva Villa (1934); Captain Blood (1935); Treasure Island (various versions); Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); Jesse James (1940); Viva Zapata (1952); Peter Pan (1953); Bonnie and Clyde (1967); Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969); The Wild Bunch (1969); The Godfather, parts I & II (1972, 1974); Pirates of the Caribbean (2003); Troy (2004); Public Enemies (2009); Captain Phillips (2013).
TELEVISION: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1950's series); The Untouchables (1950's series); Sons of Anarchy; Boardwalk Empire
Assignments: TESTS: 2 QUIZZES (5%); 1 MID-TERM with take-home essay component (10%; 1 rewrite); one FINAL EXAM with essay component (25%). MT, FINAL & QUIZZES are open-book essay exams, & include ID's, terminological definitions, and brief essays.
PAPERS: 1 750-word essay prospectus (1 rewrite, 5%); 1 1250-word expanded prospectus (1 rewrite, 10%); 1 3000-word (approx. 12 pp.) final essay (1 rewrite, 30%)
ORAL PRESENTATION:individual presentation on final essay research project (10 %);ATTENDANCE / PARTICIPATION:5%
Professor Biography:
HARNEY, Michael, brief biography
Awards:
Nomination, MLA Prize for Distinguished Scholarly Edition (for The Epic of the Cid, Hackett Publishing, 2011)
Honorable Mention, Friar Centennial Teaching Award, University of Texas (2004, 1992)
Teacher of the Year, University of Texas Liberal Arts Council (1988-89)
Publications, academic areas of interest:
Cervantes, Exemplary Novellas, edition & translation (forthcoming, Hackett Publishing)
The Epic of the Cid, edition & translation (Hackett Publishing, 2011)
Kinship & Marriage in Medieval Hispanic Chivalric Romance (Brepols, 2001).
“The Cantar de Mio Cid as Pre-War Propaganda.” Romance Quarterly 60 (2013): 74-88.
“Folklore and Identity in Dracula.” Revista de Filología y Lingüística de la Universidad de Costa Rica 38, 1 (2012): 63-81.
“Amadís, Superhero.” La Corónica 40, 2 (Spring 2012): 291-318.
“Tarzan in Novel and Film.” In The Legend Returns and Dies Harder Another Day: Essays on Film Series (McFarland, 2008, 57-80).
AREAS of interest: feudalism, chivalry, and their latter-day avatars; colonial and conquest narratives; banditry, piracy, and primitive rebellion; superhero studies; science fiction, fantasy, & horror
Non-academic interests/hobbies: collecting translations of Anglo-American science fiction, horror, & fantasy works into foreign languages (Spanish, French, German); track & field fan (ex high school track coach)