Theodor Fontane: Germany's Answer to Jane Austen with Brent Peterson, A&S '71 (PhD)

Thedor Fontane: Germany's Answer to Jane Austen with Brent Peterson, A&S '71 (PhD) Header Image

Lifelong Learning Logo

Theodor Fontane: Germany's Answer to Jane Austen
Instructor: Brent Peterson, A&S '71 (PhD)*
October 19, 2026 - November 23, 2026 (6 Sessions)
Mondays, 5:30PM - 7:00PM ET
Virtual va Zoom

Brought to you by Odyssey

Course Description: To paraphrase Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that romance fiction ends happily, but does it, or should it? What about romances whose characters make the best of difficult circumstances? What do these books offer readers?

This course compares Austen's Pride and Prejudice with two novels by Germany's preeminent realist, Theodor Fontane. Even the aristocrats among his characters live within the constraints of nineteenth-century society. The question is whether that makes their stories less romantic but more interesting?

*Top Rated Instructor

Explore the full Fall 2026 Odyssey catalog and discover engaging courses taught by Johns Hopkins alumni, faculty and community experts.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Tuition benefits are available to University faculty, staff, and retirees only. Employees of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, or the Applied Physics Laboratory should contact your institution’s Human Resources office for information about tuition remission and eligibility:

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

If a course is canceled or closed, the registrant is notified immediately, and a full refund is processed automatically unless another course is requested. Registrants who wish to withdraw from an active course must complete the online Odyssey Refund Request Form. Attach any documentation to support your request (e.g., medical documentation, family crisis documentation, etc.).

100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.
No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

ABOUT Brent Peterson

Brent Peterson, Emeritus Professor of German, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI; author of Literature and Community in Die Abendschule: Popular Narratives and Ethnic Identity (1991), History, Fiction, and Germany: Writing the Nineteenth-Century Nation (2005), and Migrant Authors--German Texts: Migration Narratives from Moses Mendelssohn to Abbas Khider, which is due out in October. He has also published numerous articles on German history, literature, and culture, 1700 to the present. Co-Director of NEH Summer Seminar for Teachers in Berlin, Germany, 2010, 2012, 2014. Hopkins, BA in History, 1971.

Event Date
Starts:
Monday, October 19, 2026
5:30pm EDT

Ends:
Monday, November 23, 2026
7:00pm EDT

Contact
Odyssey
Alumni Relations Lifelong Learning
800-JHU-JHU1 (548-5481)
odyssey@jhu.edu

Ticket Options

	General Registration	$
	JHU Alumni (all divisions) 50% discount. Alumni status will be confirmed.	$
	Johns Hopkins University Faculty, Staff, or Retiree	$
	Johns Hopkins University Spouse or Domestic Partner 50% discount. Employment status of Spouse/Domestic Partner will be confirmed.	$

Registration Information

Select your registration type

General Registration ($225.00)

JHU Alumni (all divisions) ($112.50)

Johns Hopkins University Faculty, Staff, or Retiree ($60.00)

Johns Hopkins University Spouse or Domestic Partner ($112.50)

Salutation

First Name

Middle Initial

Last Name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Country

Email Address

Phone Number

Type 1

Phone Number

Type 2

Affiliation

Additional Alumni School(s)

Company Name

Job Title

Make a Gift

Thank you for joining the Odyssey Program! If you're passionate about learning and want to help us continue this work, please consider a tax-deductible gift to support this program.

Please Designate My Gift to Support

Gift Amount

Payment Information

Card Number

Expiration Month & Year

Security Code

Check if the Billing Address is different from the address entered above

Billing Address Line 1

Billing Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Country

Registrant Total

Event Total

Donation Total

Total

Appeal Code

Theodor Fontane: Germany's Answer to Jane Austen with Brent Peterson, A&S '71 (PhD)

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.

No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

Registration Information

Make a Gift

Payment Information

Theodor Fontane: Germany's Answer to Jane Austen with Brent Peterson, A&S '71 (PhD)

Johns Hopkins Tuition Remission Policies

Johns Hopkins Hospitals and Medical Institutions: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/human-resources/benefits/tuition-assistance

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory: https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers/professional-development

Select the correct ticket pricing during registration. If we cannot confirm your university eligibility, you will be requested to pay the full registration price for each course. Complete eligibility details can be found here.

Withdrawals & Refunds:

100% refund: Prior to the start of the course and after the first class.

No refunds: After the first week of each course unless in exceptional cases.

For single-session courses:100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.

Please note, refunds apply only to the tuition portion of an Odyssey participant’s charges and are not applicable to any fees or gifts made to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association. Registrants will be notified by email if a refund is approved within five (5) business days.

Sign In

Registration Information

Make a Gift

Payment Information

For single-session courses:
100% refundable within two (2) business days of the event.