From Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood, the stories
of the Brothers Grimm have influenced and inspired children and adults around
the world for decades. Where did these stories originate - historical fact or
romantic imagination? Learn more at a free lecture offered by the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
“Inventing an Ancient Past: The Brothers Grimm and
Romantic Philology” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, presented by
Thomas Leek, assistant professor of German. Held in the Pinery Room of the
Portage Country Public Library, 1001 Main Street, Stevens Point, this is the
second talk in the eight-part College of Letters and Science 2014-2015
Community Lecture Series. The public may attend free of charge.
“Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are well known as early
collectors of folktales, but their method of collection and the authenticity of
their stories are controversial,” said Leek. “The Grimms did not publish the
collection on account of a love of folklore. Rather, they understood folktales
to be remnants of ancient culture, which could serve as the basis for German
cultural renewal.”
Leek received his undergraduate degree in German
literature and classical humanities from the UW-Madison and a doctorate in
medieval Germanic studies from the University of Minnesota. His research
interests include medieval literature, folklore and historical linguistics. He is currently writing about the Middle High German
romance “Mai und Beaflor and the Middle High German Chronicle of Emperors.” Leek
has been teaching courses in German language, literature and culture in the UW-Stevens Point
Department of Foreign Languages since 2009.
For more information on the Community Lecture Series,
visit www.uwsp.edu/cols/lectureseries
or email stappa@uwsp.edu.