The Irish Supernatural

Harvard Summer School

CELT S-115

Section 1

CRN 35967

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This course introduces students to the Irish supernatural, with sources ranging from the earliest Irish tales to contemporary memorates about ghosts, fairy thorns, and the banshee. Topics include supernatural people, creatures, and places, as well as the way the Otherworld is imagined and described over time. Special attention is paid to human behavior designed to avert, appease, or appropriate supernatural powers. We read and listen to narratives, songs and tunes, first-hand accounts, proverbs, and place lore, and we explore scholarly ideas about belief and disbelief and about the importance and relevance of the supernatural in Irish culture.

Instructor Info

Kate Chadbourne, PhD

Affiliate of the Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University


Meeting Info

TTh 6:30pm - 9:30pm (6/23 - 8/8)

Participation Option: Online Synchronous

Deadlines

Last day to register: June 17, 2025

Notes

This course meets via web conference. Students must attend and participate at the scheduled meeting time. Harvard College students: This course is eligible for degree credit, but see important policy information.

Syllabus

All Sections of this Course

CRN Section # Participation Option(s) Instructor Section Status Meets Term Dates
35967 1 Online Synchronous Kathryn Chadbourne Open TTh 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Jun 23 to Aug 8