This January-term course on Danish writer and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard—which takes place in his hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark—moves through some unusual thematic territory. We examine things like meaninglessness and faith, boredom and passion, solitude and silence; we look at the joy and pain of embodiment; and we explore forms of love and commitment.
Kierkegaard was a “Copenhagener,” with a capital “C.” He lived in the Copenhagen area his entire life, leaving it only a handful of times. His mentors and closest intellectual influences lived nearby; he alludes to his local contemporaries in both his published and unpublished works; he engages in indirect debate with them throughout his lifetime. We will read from some of the works of his Copenhagen associates, which will help us contextualize his thinking.
Kierkegaard’s works were not merely composed in Copenhagen, they are set in Copenhagen, too. The city streets, parks, squares, churches, castles, and surrounding forests all play a significant role in his authorship. We will make frequent excursions to these places, reading and discussing his works on-site, and take a week-long tour to the other side of Denmark where his family is from.
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