Instructor: Edward McDonald

Office: Pardee 405

Office Phone:  330-5264

Email: mcdonale@lafayette.edu
 
 

Course Description:   The course scrutinizes the culture of Vienna at the turn-of-the-century Vienna in which conflicting social pressures created a hothouse atmosphere that spawned radical intellectual thought and new directions. The work of writers, artists, architects, composers, and scientists (and pseudo-scientists) will be studied against the problematic socio-political development of the Habsburg Empire during the final millennium of its long existence. Literary texts, political and philosophical pieces, along with scientific writings of various luminaries who gave shape to this historic era during its twilight years converge to form a brilliant mosaic. Imperial Austria's "Colorful Sunset" years shed light on inchoate tendencies about to be instrumental in influencing the twentieth century.