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 (Lingue e letterature straniere) dal Sep 26, 2022 al Dec 23, 2022.

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.

Program

THE GOTHIC NOVEL
The module will deal with the Gothic genre (from its rise at the end of the eighteenth century throughout its consolidation in the Romantic period) – a genre that, since then, has been uncomfortably and fascinatingly in charge to conveyi deep psychic fears and desires and to intercept and bring to the surface the cultural and political anxieties of its time. So, after a necessary introduction to the historical-cultural context, through an in-depth analysis of three ‘icon’-texts of British Gothic fiction, the students will gain knowledge of its major themes, rhetorical strategies and aesthetics (by employing notion drawn from philosophy as well as from psychoanalysis) ,in connection with the knowledge of the historical and, broadly, cultural contexts inspiring them
A) TEXTS (no abridgements):
-M. G. LEWIS, The Monk (1796)
-M. SHELLEY, Frankensten; or the Modern Prometheus (1818)
-J. HOGG, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824)
B) CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY:
-E. BURKE, from "A Philosophical Analysis into our ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful" ( 1757). The pages that will be uoloaded in the moodle of the module.
-M. KILGOUR, chapters: “Lewis’s Gothic Revolution” + “The Artist as Goth” in ID, The Rise of the Gothic Novel, Routledge, rpt. 2013.
-M. REDEKOP, “Beyond Closure: Buried Alive with Hogg’s Justified Sinner”, English Literary History, vol. 52, 159-184;
-S. FREUD, ”The Uncanny” (1919, any edition)
C) The reference handbook for literary history is: A. SANDERS, "The Short History of English Literature", Clarendon Press (1994), chapters 4-6. (On the moodle of the module indications will be given as to which parts of the chapters specifically to privilege).).

ADDITIONAL AND OBLIGATORY CRITICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: Besides the critical bibliography given above, the following:
-J. E. HOGLE (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction, Cambridge UP (2002): “Introduction” by J.E. Hogle + Ch.1 “The Genesis of Gothic Fiction” by E.J. Clery.
- C.A. HOWELLS, “M.G. Lewis, The Monk” (ch.III), in ID, Love, Mystery, and Misery. Feeling in Gothic Fiction, Athlone, 1995.
-B. NEWMAN, “Narratives of Seduction and the Seduction of narrative: The Frame Structure of Frankenstein”, English Literary History , Vol.53, pp.141-161 [rpt. in F. Botting (ed.), Frankenstein/Mary Shelley, St. Martin’s, 1995 (166-90]).
-P. FIELDING, “Introduction” + “The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner: Approaches” (ch.15), in I. DUNCAN and D.S. MACK (eds.), The Edinburgh Companion to James Hogg, Edinburgh UP, 2012.
Non-attending students are strongly recommended to read the Introductions to the scheduled novels.

NB: All the listed-above critical tests are available at the A. Frinzi Library (cf. universe; jstor).

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.

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.
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.
There will be no mid-term tests.

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

English