Course Name: “Extremely Revealing Bullshit”: The Art of Professional Wrestling
Instructor: Prof. Daniel Tysdal
Course Description: It’s not surprising that most people asked to describe professional wrestling use some variation on the word “bullshit.” “The fighting’s fake,” they sneer, “The matches are fixed, and the politics are garbage.” What is surprising is that pro-wrestling fans won’t argue with these assessments. Instead, they will follow Oliver Lee Bateman’s lead and go one step further. Pro wrestling is bullshit, yes, but it’s “extremely revealing bullshit.”
What exactly does a close look at pro wrestling’s “bullshit” reveal? It reveals a distinct, complex, and dynamic artistic medium. It reveals an art that fascinates and inspires writers, artists, and thinkers across mediums and disciplines. It reveals a community that, in recent years, has grown more progressive and inclusive, with examples including Effy’s Big Gay Brunch, the feminist promotion BLOWW, which “smash[es] bottles, hearts, and the patriarchy,” and Nyla Rose, the first transgender wrestler to hold a major championship belt.
In ENGD54, we will Swanton Bomb into pro wrestling’s revelatory “bullshit,” exploring pro wrestling as an artistic medium and examining how pro wrestling manifests in literature, other artistic mediums, and contemporary conversations around race, gender, sexuality, and class. We will meet real pro wrestlers in the flesh, attend a live show, and even have the chance to step in the ring.
Just as importantly, we will undertake writing assignments as part of our explorations, with both academic and creative options available, adding our own “extremely revealing bullshit” to the cheers, boos, and chants roused by this vibrant, one-of-a-kind art.
Learn more about Prof. Daniel Tysdal's teaching and research, as well as how to contact him with any questions.
Course Features:
- In this course you will read a selection of theory and criticism essays: THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING : A HARDCORE, HIGH-FLYING, NO-HOLDS-BARRED HISTORY OF THE ONE TRUE SPORT; THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE KING : THE MADUSA STORY; THE DEAD WRESTLER ELEGIES CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION).
- You will also watch pro-wrestling matches (video and in person).