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WiSe 20/21: S-Literatures of Medieval Britain: Brainchild! Imagining Human Creativity Between Gross Body and Lofty Mind

Sarah-Jane Briest

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Brainchild! Imagining Human Creativity Between Gross Body and Lofty Mind

The OED defines “brainchild” as “the product of a person’s mind; an idea or invention that is the creation of a particular person […].” While the notion of poetic inspiration as procreation certainly existed before the term “brainchild” entered the English language, the metaphor gains ground early in the 17th century, in connection with a debate about the nature of authorship in which it serves as a powerful tool: it considers the ‘embryonic’ development of ideas, the aesthetic idiosyncrasies of texts (passed from author to work), gives expression to the emotional ties between creator and creation, and engages with questions of authorial control over (and responsibility for) the production, distribution, and interpretation of texts. Moreover, it has frequently been used to express harsh criticism of creative overreaching and hubris. In the course of the semester we will examine manifestations of the metaphor across a variety of texts: starting with Philip Sidney’s 16th-century descriptions of poetic creativity, via Milton’s Paradise Lost (from which we will be reading excerpts), on to Shelley’s Frankenstein, the ultimate examination of a creator’s struggle with his ‘offspring.’

Most materials will be made available but you do need to acquire the second Norton critical edition of Frankenstein (which is based on the 1818 edition of the novel). Regular and active participation (in a form to be determined) is also expected, as is the conception, gestation and birth of a term paper.

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