Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Department of English Studies
- Code
- BBI-ANG17-322E.10
- Title
- Elective seminar in the history of Great Britain: The World Divided: Cold War Narratives in the Novels of John le Carré and their Film Adaptations
- Usual semester
- Spring
- ECTS
- 5
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The purpose of the course is twofold. On the one hand it is to introduce the historical background of the Cold War era; its spirit, atmosphere and in particular the methods of secret intelligence gathering with special emphasis on the intelligence services of the United Kingdom known as MI5 (The Security Service) and MI6 (SIS – The Secret Intelligence Service). The second purpose is to acquaint the students with the novels of John le Carré (1931-2020) who, after a brief period of employment at the British intelligence service, started to write his ‘spy novels’ that, over time, acquired cult status among the British and international reading public. Appreciating the nuance of these books, stories and film adaptations requires a delicate, even intimate, understanding of the milieu, vibes and instincts of the Cold War era in Europe and elsewhere. Most student belonging to the so-called Generation Z do not possess these instincts. Strangely, they have not inherited them even though this all yesterday's universe. Perhaps the collective forgetfulness is deliberate. Therefore, one of the main purposes of the course is to (re-)instil these vibes into the students of the seminar. Separate readings and seminar presentations by the instructor will serve this purpose. To that extent, this is a historical course. In terms of studying le Carré's novels and characters, it is a modern literary seminar. In sharp contrast to the heroic image of the commercially successful James Bond stories and films, le Carré’s world is populated by tragic, self-searching agents acting within often painful scenarios in a grey zone between extravagance and earthbound realism. Betrayal and human frailty loom in the background of loyalty in le Carré’s ‘Circus’. Many, if not most, of le Carré’s novels were turned into film adaptations. The abridged audio book versions, when read by the author, offer an unexpected angle to the narratives. These audio visual adaptations will be used more often than the printed narratives. Together, they will acquaint the students with a sinister world made even more shadowy through the imagination of an eye-witness who projected many of his own personal complexes, including his troubled relationship with women, into his novels. The twists at the end of this sophisticated but seemingly straightforward spy history are one posthumously published biography of the author by Adam Sisman, the accomplished professional biographer, and the post mortem continuation of the story of le Carré’s best known character, George Smiley, in a book published by le Carré’s son, Nick Harkaway, in 2024. Both reflect in the some unexpected ways on the world of secret intelligence and its enigmatic interpreter, John le Carré.
- Course content
- Students will be given excerpts from the foundational documents of the Cold War, such as George Kennan’s famous “Long Telegram” sent from Moscow to Washington in February 1946, followed shortly by the equally famous “Iron Curtain” speech given by Winston Churchill at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri in March 1946. These documents shed a sharp light on the origins of the Cold War that started after the end of the Second World War. Students will be asked to reflect on the meaning and narrative style of these documents in conversation and in writing. Background readings will be given on the subject of the British intelligence services from Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 and Keith Jeffery, MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949. The milieu and atmosphere of the tensions associated with everyday life during the Cold War will be explained to students by the instructor. John le Carré and his son Nick Harkaway’s novels will be studied and analysed in the original narrative print editions, through audiobooks and film adaptations. Certain parts of the novels will be read out by students in a form of role playing. Other short episodes will be performed in class. Perhaps most of the time will be taken up by watching parts of the film adaptations of John le Carré's novels. Some films, like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965, directed by Martin Ritt), may be watched in full. The present-day impact and interpretation of these sources will be frequently discussed during the sessions.
- Assessment method
- The students need to attend the classes regularly in order to get immersed in the atmosphere and psychology of the Cold War era. Animated discussions will hopefully develop about the sensitive topics involved. Each week, students will send short Journals of their memories of the class discussions adding thoughts they could not express in class. Readings from the set texts will be assigned weekly. These will be tested in two in-class papers during the term. There will be one detailed in-class test during the last session, which will also include questions relating to the film adaptations. The appraisal of these assignments together will make up the final grade. The Journals will be counted as 20%, participation in readings and performances 10%, the two mid-term in-class papers 20%, and the final in-class paper as 50%.
- Bibliography
- Short or longer excerpts from some of John le Carré’s main novels: The Spy who Came in from the Cold (1963) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974) Smiley's People (1979) The Little Drummer Girl (1983) The Perfect Spy (1986) The Night Manager (1993) Silverview (2021) and from: Nick Harkaway, Karla's Choice, London: Viking (2024) Adam Sisman, The Secret Life of John le Carré, London: Profile Books Ltd (2023) Historical background George Kennan’s “Long Telegram”, February 22, 1946 https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/kennan/ “Sinews of Peace”, speech by Winston Churchill at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, USA, March 5, 1946 (“Iron Curtain Speech”) https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/FO371-51624.jpg https://www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/sinews-of-peace-iron-curtain-speech.html Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, London: New York: Allen Lane, 2009. Keith Jeffery, MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949, London, New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. ––––––––––- Film adaptations of John le Carré’s novels (with directors and release dates). The Spy who Came in from the Cold, Martin Ritt (1965) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, John Irvin (1979) and Tomas Alfredson (2011) Smiley's People, Simon Langton (1982) The Perfect Spy, Peter Smith (1987) The Night Manager, Susanne Bier and Georgi Banks-Davies (2016) Audiobooks The Spy who Came in from the Cold The Little Drummer Girl The Night Manager