ENG5412 - Literary Period: 20th Century Literature

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
demonstrate detailed knowledge of a range of twentieth century texts
analyse and discuss selected texts in terms of their relation to particular social/cultural debates of the period;
analyse and discuss texts from the period in terms of the relations of content to form and literary genre
analyse and discuss texts from the period in terms as appropriate of ‘Modernism’ and ‘Postmodernism’
write critically and sensitively on topics of their choice, drawing on a wide range of reading.

Content:

Students will have the opportunity to gain a critical appreciation of the variety of literature produced during the twentieth century by engaging with a range of texts, including examples of poetry, prose fiction and drama. The module will begin by exploring debates around the concept of modernism, and a selection of texts will be studied in the light of these debates. Students will then engage with a selection of writings from the later twentieth century. They will have the opportunity to develop understanding of such concepts as postmodernism, the absurd, intertextuality, and magic realism. The course will consider the selected texts in their social, cultural and political contexts, drawing where relevant on the insights of feminist and postcolonialist thought, among other critical approaches.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The plenaries will focus on tutor input, interspersed with work in pairs, groupwork, and whole-class discussions. Research tasks, including online exercises, will be set as guided preparation for the seminars. The seminars will include whole-group discussions and group work, based on preparation work, but their emphasis will shift from tutor-directed learning towards student-centred learning as the semester progresses.

Plenary workshops
Hours: 11
Intended group size: 80

Seminar groups
Hours: 22
Intended group size: 25

Guided independent study
Hours: 167

Further details relating to assessment
The take-away paper will require students to make a close reading of a passage from a modernist text, demonstrating a critical appreciation of modernist techniques.

Other relevant matters
Seminars in the first part of the course will provide students with the opportunity to practise specimen questions for take-away paper. In the second half of the course, they will be encouraged to give presentations to develop their ideas for the essay. They will also have the opportunity to send brief essay plans for comment via e-mail.

Assessment: