Teaching code

4S002927

Teacher

Susanna Zinato

Coordinator

Susanna Zinato

Credits

9

Language

English

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

L-LIN/10 - ENGLISH LITERATURE

Period

I semestre (Area Lingue e letterature straniere) dal Sep 23, 2024 al Dec 21, 2024.

Courses Single

Authorized

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

The module, taught in English, is meant to guide the students through a critical approach to the English Literature of the period going from the Restoration to late Romanticism, especially in relation to a representative range of texts of the canon. Besides, it aims at getting the students familiar with fundamental tools necessary for text analysis and genre criticism. Its overall goal is to provide the students with a good knowledge of the British literature of the set literary period (its historical context, its texts, genres, movements/authors) and of helping them develop skills for analysis, argumentation and exposition in English, in relation to various typologies of literary texts in their historical-cultural context. At the end of the module, students will be able to: - analyze the literary texts set in the syllabus in their historical-cultural contexts; - argumentatively discuss them by taking into account literary conventions and by applying an informed critical approach that is aware of the literary nature of the text; - demonstrate the acquired knowledge and skills, in English and in a clear and consistent way.

Prerequisites and basic notions

To take the exam of this module students must have passed the exams of English Literature 1 and of English Language 1.

The linguistic certificates obtaine through CLA are valid for three years.

Program

N.B.: all students must register on the course e-learning platform and check it regularly for sharing information and critical material.
Title: The theatre of ‘bad’ manners and the libertine culture of Restoration England
The module centres on the libertine season of English culture, coinciding with the Restoration period and having its most brilliant expression on stage. The libertine plays scheduled for the module are effectively representative of this vogue centred on rakish characters whose speech and conduct are geared to confront conventional codes of morals and manners through their espousing of wit and free-thinking. At the same time, they also effectively reflect the rake’s “progress” over the years, following the changes in the historical and political context of the nation.
PRIMARY TEXTS:
-J. Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, “A Satire against Reason and Mankind” (1680)
-G. Etherege, The Man of Mode (1676), New Mermaids edition
-T. Shadwell, The Libertine (1677)
-J. Vanbrugh, The Provok’d Wife (1697), New Mermaids edition
CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY:
-E. Langhans, “The Theatre”, in D. Payne Fisk (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to English Restoration Theatre, Cambridge UP, 2000, ch.1 (pp.1-18)
- D. Berman, “Lord Rochester, apostate atheist”, in ID, A History of Atheism in Britain: From Hobbes to Russell, Croom Helm, 1988, pp.52-56 (le pagine saranno rese disponibili sul moodle del corso)
-J. Munns, “Change, Skepticism, and Uncertainty”, in D.Payne Fisk (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to English Restoration Thetare, Cambridge UP, 2000, ch.9 (pp.142-157)
-M.E. Novak, “Libertinism and Sexuality”,ch.4, in S.J. Owen (ed.), A Companion to Restoration Drama, Blackwell, 2001
-L.J. Rosenthal, “Masculinity in Restoration Drama”, ch.6, in S.J. Owen (ed.), Blackwell, 2001
Handbool of English literary history:
P. Poplawski (ed.), English Literature in Context, Cambridge UP, 2017, chs. 3, 4
Students unable to attend classes are expected to integrate the critical bibliography given above with the following:
-J.D. Canfield, “Restoration Comedy”, in S.J. Owen, A Companion to Restoration Drama, , Blackwell, 2001, ch.13
-On Etherege: L. Berglund, "The Language of the Libertine: Subversive Morality in 'The Man of Mode'", Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Vol. 30, 369-386
-On Shadwell: A. Jaffe, "Seditious Appetites and Creeds: Shadwell's Libertine and Hobbes's Foole", Restoration Studies in English Literary Culture, 1660-1700, Vol. 24, No.2, 55-74.
-On Vanbrugh: S. Zinato, “La retorica blasfema di Sir John Vanbrugh”, Quaderni di lingue e letterature, vol.22, 154-174 (l’articolo sarà reso disponibile sul moodle del corso) or
J.Bull, Vanbrugh and Farquar, Macmillan, 1998 (section on The Provok’d Wife).
All texts are available at Frinzi library.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Frontal teaching lessons in English, with, at intervals, more interactive modes meant to verify the students’ acquisition of what is being taught and their participation. Filmic material will be used, too.
Updatings and further textual material discussed in class will be uploaded on the moodle of the course and made available to all registered students: therefore the latter are requested to keep a regular eye on it, the platform being the main channel for the teaching professor to communicate any information.
Regularly-attending students in need of recuperating a few missed classes may receive useful indications directly by the professor in her office hours (‘ricevimenti’).
Non-attending students are expected to integrate their critical readings as reported in the "Programme" section given above.

Learning assessment procedures

Oral exam in English.
The exam will principally consist in questions on the scheduled texts and on the contents of the taught classes; the students' reading of the assigned critical bibliography and of the handbook will be also ascertained.
(Non-attending students will have to demonstrate they have read the primary texts and the whole critical bibliography for non-attending students, including the handbook chapters but excluding the class notes).
All students might be asked to read and comment on passages taken from primary texts.
Students will have to bring their own primary texts at the exam, without which they won't be allowed to sit for it.

Evaluation criteria

The exam will assess:
-thestudents' knowledge of the set texts (primary texts and critical bibliography)
-the student's knowledge and comprehension of the themes discussed in class (for non-attending studedents: of the topics dealt with in the critical bibliography)
-the student's acquired competence as to textual analysis and critical comment
-the student's adequate linguistic competence and propriety as to critical literary language.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final grade, awarded on a 30-point scale, will assess the student's grade of satisfaction of the above-mentioned criteria.

Exam language

Inglese English