When the air turns chill and crisp…when nights lengthen, claiming long hours that were once the province of the daylit world…when we crave warm soups, cold ciders, and the subtle heat of cinnamon… certain stories echo in our ears. In this liminal time between summer and winter, light and darkness, we welcome you across the threshold into the Carterhaugh School for our first short course “An Eerie Tale to Tell”: Folklore for All Hallows’ Eve. In this one week course, we will explore three folk narrative genres, three different kinds of stories, that speak to the magic, mystery, and ambiguity of the season: supernatural ballads, fairy tales, and urban legends. Through a combination of lectures, supplemental readings, and creative responses, we will discuss how to identify these different kinds of narratives and provide the history, context, and tools to begin analyzing these stories. What does it mean to stand at a crossroads and defy a queen? What can we learn from enchanted sleep and the ability to wake? Why do ghosts abandon castles to haunt suburbia and cars in the legends we tell today?
The course will be conducted through video lectures that will be accessible on October 24th (Lesson One: Ballads), 26th (Lesson Two: Scary Fairy Tales), and 28th (Lesson Three: Urban Legends) but all the materials will be yours to download and interact with whenever you choose (so don’t worry if you can’t play on those specific dates!) Aside from the videos you will also receive the PowerPoint Presentation featured in the video lecture, a beautifully made PDF “grimoire page” summary of the lesson, and and any supplementary reading. This material is yours to keep and download for personal use!
There will be a final assignment prompt for which you may choose the path of the scholar, the path of the writer, or the path of the artist. Personal feedback on completed final assignments is available upon request – we would love to see what you come up with!
Dates: October 24th, 26th, and 28th – note that these are simply the dates that materials will be posted! You will be able to access everything indefinitely and watch whenever is most convenient to you.
Total Number of Lessons: 3
What’s Included: Welcome Letter, 3 Video Lectures, 3 PowerPoint Presentations, 3 Beautiful PDF “Grimoire Page” Lesson Summaries, PDFs or Links to Any Supplementary Reading, Personal Feedback on Completed Final Assignment if Desired
Any Additional Materials Needed: No
Registration Closes: October 23rd at Midnight