University of California - Davis: Edinburgh - Scottish Tales

The supernatural figures largely in Scotland’s literature and culture. Scottish ballads are filled with stories of strange creatures and weird doings. Scottish castles are filled with ghosts and spirits. Witches wander through Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the poetry of Robert Burns. There is a Scottish Frankenstein. Jekyll becomes Hyde. And the devil lurks everywhere. Scottish Tales will study the literature, films, and culture of Scotland, examining its supernatural component from the earliest ballads to contemporary cinema. Set in Edinburgh, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, the program will include visits to castles, tours of the city, a ghost walk at night, a magic show, and a field trip to Glasgow. We’ll also spend two nights in the Scottish Highlands and take a cruise on Loch Ness, where rumor has it a creature lurks.