Module Information
Module Identifier
EN20120
Module Title
Literary Theory: Debates and Dialogues
Academic Year
2019/2020
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 1
Pre-Requisite
EN10020
Pre-Requisite
EN10220
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 x 1 Hour Lectures |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Coursework Portfolio submission of 3500 words, to be submitted two parts: the first piece of 1,500 words (25% of final mark) to be submitted in week 4 and the second piece of 2,000 words (75% of final mark) to be submitted at the end of week 10 of teaching. | 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Resubmit or resit failed elements and/or make good any missing elements |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module students should typically be able to:
1. summarise and explain some of the basic concepts and key ideas underpinning a range of theoretical approaches;
2. distinguish between different theoretical approaches;
3. describe the impact of particular theoretical approaches on the practice of literary criticism;
4. employ elements of particular theoretical approaches in the critical analysis of passages from literary texts.
Aims
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 theorists.
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
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 theorists.
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
Brief description
An introductory week entitled 'Ways of Looking at a Literary Text' considers readings of a short literary text and discusses the underlying assumptions. Following this the module is divided into three sections, 'Language and Textuality', 'Gender and Sexuality' and 'Politics and History'.
Each week there are two lectures ? one outlining theoretical concepts, one focusing on theorized reading practice ? and a seminar, in which the tutor uses specific literary examples to discuss how to use, develop and challenge theory.
Each week there are two lectures ? one outlining theoretical concepts, one focusing on theorized reading practice ? and a seminar, in which the tutor uses specific literary examples to discuss how to use, develop and challenge theory.
Content
Week 1: Introduction: Ways of looking at a literary text.
Readings of a literary text from a range of theoretical perspectives chosen by the teaching team.
LANGUAGE AND TEXUALITY
Week 2: Reading Forms
Lectures on formalism as critical tradition and revenant.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading texts in terms of form.
Week 3 Reading Structures
Lectures on structuralism and practical narratology.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of structuralist and narratological models of reading.
Week 4 Undoing Readings
Lectures on deconstruction as theory and practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of deconstruction as reading practice.
GENDER AND SEXUALITY
Week 5 Reading the Unconscious
Lectures on psychoanalysis as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading literary with psychoanalytic texts.
Week 6 Reading Politically I
Lectures on feminist theory and feminist reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of feminist readings.
Week 7 Reading Queerly
Lectures on queer theory and queer reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading queerly.
POLITICS AND HISTORY
Week 8 Reading Politically II
Lectures on Marxist theories and reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of Marxist readings
Week9 Reading the World
Lectures on postcolonialism as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of postcolonial readings.
Week 10 Reading Environmentally
Lectures on ecocriticism as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of ecocritical readings.
Readings of a literary text from a range of theoretical perspectives chosen by the teaching team.
LANGUAGE AND TEXUALITY
Week 2: Reading Forms
Lectures on formalism as critical tradition and revenant.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading texts in terms of form.
Week 3 Reading Structures
Lectures on structuralism and practical narratology.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of structuralist and narratological models of reading.
Week 4 Undoing Readings
Lectures on deconstruction as theory and practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of deconstruction as reading practice.
GENDER AND SEXUALITY
Week 5 Reading the Unconscious
Lectures on psychoanalysis as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading literary with psychoanalytic texts.
Week 6 Reading Politically I
Lectures on feminist theory and feminist reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of feminist readings.
Week 7 Reading Queerly
Lectures on queer theory and queer reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of reading queerly.
POLITICS AND HISTORY
Week 8 Reading Politically II
Lectures on Marxist theories and reading practices.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of Marxist readings
Week9 Reading the World
Lectures on postcolonialism as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of postcolonial readings.
Week 10 Reading Environmentally
Lectures on ecocriticism as theory and as reading practice.
Seminar exploring presuppositions and possibilities of ecocritical readings.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Communication | By developing a sustained critical argument (written) Through group discussions and seminar presentations (not assessed) |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Through independent research and reading. |
| Information Technology | Using word processing packages and making use of Blackboard and other e-resources to research and access course documents and other materials. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Increased critical self-reflection and the development of transferable, ICT, and communication and research skills. |
| Problem solving | By evaluative analysis and critical skills |
| Research skills | Independent research and synthesizing information in an evaluative argument |
| Subject Specific Skills | Reading, writing and research skills involved in the interrogation of literary texts, and the conceptual/theoretical analysis of works of imaginative literature in relation to a range of other non-literary texts. |
| Team work | Group work in seminars and/or through the preparation of paired presentations for seminars. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5