Syllabus Spotlight Summer 2010
Course: Hitchcock and Freud
Department: Humanities
Professor: Paul Gordon (right)
Course description: This class applies Sigmund 贵谤别耻诲鈥檚 psychoanalytic method of interpreting works of art to Alfred Hitchcock鈥檚 films. It will seek to explain Hitchcock鈥檚 recurrent and complicated use of 鈥渕aternal super-egos鈥 (as in Psycho), of male narcissism (Rear Window), of a violent 鈥渕ale protest鈥 (Shadow of a Doubt) and the persistent figure of 鈥淢other鈥 as it informs all of the leading female characters in relation to their male counterparts鈥 desire for 鈥淢adonna/Harlot鈥 figures.
Reading list: 贵谤别耻诲鈥檚 Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis (Liveright), 贵谤别耻诲鈥檚 Writings on Art and Literature (Stanford University Press) and Robin Wood鈥檚 Hitchcock鈥檚 Films Revisited (Columbia University Press).
Requirements: Weekly viewings of the films will be accompanied by class presentations and discussions, culminating in a final research project involving the psychoanalytical interpretation of at least one of Hitchcock鈥檚 films.