Hermann Broch: The Death of Virgil

The Death of Virgil (1945), by prominent Austrian modernist Hermann Broch, is an imaginative and delightfully challenging story about the last day of the Roman poet's life. Often described as a philosophical novel, Broch's seminal work reflects and inspires reflection on life and death, civilization and politics, and the nature of fiction and poetry in their relationship to reality. According to George Steiner, The Death of Virgil is "the only genuine technical advance that fiction has made since Ulysses." Each week, students will read 50-60 pages; visuals and handouts from other relevant texts will supplement in-class discussions.

Course Outline

Required Texts

The Death of Virgil, by Hermann Broch and translated by Jean Starr Untermeyer (ISBN-13: 978-0679755487)

Notes

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In-person programming must adhere to University of Chicago guidelines, including the following measures:

• All in-person participants must show proof of fully vaccinated status, defined as two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after one dose of a single-dose vaccine.
• All in-person participants eligible to receive the COVID-19 booster shot must meet this requirement and show proof of receiving a booster shot.
• The University will make most classroom settings mask-optional starting April 4.

For more information on Education Guidance including vaccine requirements and masking requirements, please visit goforward.uchicago.edu/education-planning/.

For more information on measures the university is taking to help protect public health, please visit goforward.uchicago.edu.