ARTH 453(F) Lessons from the Diva: Sarah Bernhardt and Icons of Mass Culture
Theatrical superstar and impresario, medal-winning sculptor, writer, model for health and beauty aids, the Divine Sarah was one of the first mass cultural icons. The course examines Bernhardt's larger-than-life persona and her legacy for U.S. culture, including a sixty-year career and a vast afterlife in Hollywood film, musical comedy, stand-up and opera. Bernhardt, in turn, is a vehicle to explore the operation of an icon. We consider the phenomenon of mass culture itself, the notion of the original and the reproduction, and Bernhardt's importance for popular icons in the twentieth century. No prerequisites. Enrollment limited to 12.