Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

This module aims:

1. to introduce students to some of the major concerns in literary theory by working on specific problems of interpretation at the level of text and concept through reding examples.
2. to acquaint students with a range of important literary-theoretical approaches.
3. to investigate how different theories interrelate, inform and confront other theoretical and literary texts
4. to prepare students for the applied theory module EN30120 Reading Theory/Reading Text

The module presents two complementary learning streams.

1. A video portfolio which covers a wide array of theoretical issues and perspectives – such as (for example): textuality, queer theory, historicism, materialism, the author, ecocriticism, deconstruction, feminism, identity, and post-colonial theory. This material introduces students to the breadth of relevant literary theoretical discourses, and provides the overall context within which their more focused seminar discussions will take place.
2. Weekly seminars which facilitate a sustained engagement with a more focused series of theoretical concepts and approaches. The seminars offer students the chance (a) to engage in detail with theoretical writing, and (b) – by using short literary examples – to explore how the theoretical writing under consideration impacts on their developing skills as literary critics.

The module is divided into two blocks of five weeks each. Each block contains the following pattern of scaffolded learning:

• Week 1/6: Introducing Ideas
Via discussion of bite-size examples chosen from relevant theoretical texts, the first seminar of each five-week block introduces students, to the ideas that the rest of the block will consider in more detail. This session gives the students an initial breadth of understanding of the issues in question, and starts to explore how they can be applied to literary-critical practice itself.

• Weeks 2 & 3/7 & 8: Concepts
In these two weeks, students are introduced to a key theoretical concept (e.g. textuality, agency, identity) through engagement with at least one piece of theoretical writing which is studied in detail.

(a) The first week concentrates primarily on exploring the theoretical text itself, but with some practical application to one or two short literary-textual examples.
(b) The second week encourages students to review and deepen their understanding of the theoretical text being addressed, and asks them to undertake more substantial literary-critical application of the concepts explored (through attention to two or more literary texts presented in-class).

• Weeks 4 & 5/9 & 10: Approaches
In these two weeks, students are introduced to a key theoretical approach (e.g. ecocriticism, historicism, psychoanalysis) or ‘school’ of theoretical thought, through engagement with at least one piece of theoretical writing which is studied in detail. The approach/school chosen builds on, complements, or provides a theoretical contrast with the materials studied over Weeks 2 & 3/7 & 8.

(a) The first week concentrates primarily on exploring the theoretical text itself, but with some practical application to one or two short literary-textual examples.
(a) The second week encourages students to review and deepen their understanding of the theoretical text being addressed. Through attention to two or more literary-textual examples, and in dialogue with the concept explored in the first half of this block, students are asked to undertake more substantial literary-critical application of the approach/school that is being explored.