Folklore Portal

Folk Horror, having initial roots in the early 20th century, has continued steadily in multiple media to explore societal fears of our day. This SPACE class will look at the origins of the genre, its explosion in the upheaval in the 1970's, and its current place of cultural relevance in a world filled with anxious nightmares regarding its future.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Session 1: The Tools of Engagement: Modern Folk Horror Studies
	Session 2: The Stories of Ambrose Pierce
Week 2	Session 3: The Stories of Thomas Hardy
	Session 4: The Grandmaster of Folk Horror: M.R. James Part I
Week 3	Session 5: The Grandmaster of Folk Horror: M.R. James Part II
	Session 6: The "Folk" of the 1970's: The Unholy Trinity
Week 4	Session 7: Movies/Media of the 80's and 90's: The Blair Witch and Steven King
	Session 8: Modern Manifestations: True Detective

One of the earliest stories of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium committed to writing was the tragic tale of Túrin Turambar. As Tolkien himself acknowledged, in creating Túrin’s tale, he drew on elements of real-world legends, particularly those of Sigurd the Volsung, Oedipus, and the Finnish Kullervo. In this module, we’ll look at the interplay between these legends (in the forms that young Tolkien had likely encountered them) and Tolkien’s own creation of the tale of Túrin. The module’s objective is twofold: a semi-biographical examination of young Tolkien’s early creative processes, and familiarization with the historical sources for these legends that proved so inspirational for him.

The module will follow an 8-session structure as shown below:

Outline	8-Session Structure
Week 1	Lecture 1: Introduction to Túrin Turambar and his legendary inspirations (reading: “Turambar and the Foalókë”).
	Discussion 1: Comments on and questions about Túrin Turambar and his legendary inspirations (reading: “Turambar and the Foalókë”).
Week 2	Lecture 2: Oedipus & Túrin (reading: excerpts Sophocles, ed. Jebb, “The Oedipus Tyrannus”).
	Discussion 2: Comments on and questions about Oedipus & Túrin (reading: excerpts Sophocles, ed. Jebb, “The Oedipus Tyrannus”).
Week 3	Lecture 3: Sigurd & Túrin (reading: excerpts from “The Story of Sigurd”, ed. Lang; excerpts from “Völsunga saga”, trans. Eiríkur Magnusson & Morris).
	Discussion 3: Sigurd & Túrin (reading: excerpts from “The Story of Sigurd”, ed. Lang; excerpts from “Völsunga saga”, trans. Eiríkur Magnusson & Morris).
Week 4	Lecture 4: Kullervo & Túrin (reading: excerpts from “Kalevala”, ed. Kirby; excerpts from Tolkien, “The Story of Kullervo”).
	Discussion 4: Kullervo & Túrin (reading: excerpts from “Kalevala”, ed. Kirby; Tolkien, “The Story of Kullervo”).